RANGERS 4 ABERDEEN 0 William Hill Premiership Sunday 11th May 2025 Ibrox Stadium Ref: David Dickinson Attendance: 50,343
A poor second half from the Dons saw them well beaten by Rangers in Glasgow, a blow to hopes of finishing in third position in the SPFL Premiership.
Jimmy Thelin made four changes to his Aberdeen side following defeat at St Mirren last weekend, with Kevin Nisbet, Ante Palaversa and Shayden Morris on the bench, and Alfie Dorrington missing the game with illness. In came Oday Dabbagh, Dante Polvara and Jamie McGrath, with Kristers Tobers returning after a spell out injured. Alexander Jensen was back from injury to be among the substitutes.
Rangers drew 1-1 at home to Celtic last Sunday and named an unchanged team.
It was a fairly quiet opening to the game in front of a sparsely populated Ibrox, neither side crafting anything resembling an opportunity in the early stages, Aberdeen having a good shape and keeping Rangers at arm’s length.
The Dons almost created a chance on 20 minutes, Jeppe Okkels’ through ball giving Topi Keskinen a chance to have a shot at goal, but that was blocked by a Rangers boot. Two minutes later came Rangers’ first half chance, Dessers stabbing wide at the near post from a Diomande ball in.
Dessers had a far better opportunity on 28 minutes, given a free header at the back post after Tavernier’s cross was just too high for Tobers. With all the goal to aim at, Dessers put his header wide of the goal.
The Dons responded immediately, a clipped ball from McGrath getting Keskinen in behind at inside-left. He got the ball onto his right foot to shoot across the face, but Kelly was down to his left to save. Moments later, Leighton Clarkson put a free-kick from 30 yards wide of the target.
Tobers was in the book for a late challenge on Bajrami on 34 minutes, the Rangers man needing treatment in the aftermath.
Dimitar Mitov was called into action for the first time on 41 minutes, diving to his right to save – and hold – a strong shot from distance from Cerny with Dessers looking for any rebound.
Dessers had the ball in the net for Rangers seconds before the interval, finishing from ten yards out, but he was clearly offside as Barron played the initial ball into the box, VAR ruling the goal out.
The Dons did likewise moments later, Clarkson’s free-kick from 35 yards out reaching Dabbagh whose close range header was saved by Kelly, Dabbagh following up on the rebound to score. VAR again ruled the strike out.
HALF-TIME: RANGERS 0 ABERDEEN 0
There were changes for the Dons at the break, Kevin Nisbet and Pape Gueye replacing Dabbagh and Okkels. Meanwhile, Rangers swapped Igamane for Bajrami.
It initiated a good start to the half from the Dons, pressing Rangers high up the pitch, culminating in Keskinen thumping a low drive against the post with Kelly beaten in the 49th minute.
Rangers responded by getting Cerny in on goal a minute later, Mitov quickly off his line to narrow the angle and save with his legs. Two corners followed and from the second, Souttar headed wide at the back post from Tavernier’s ball in.
Rangers were in front on 55 and it was all too easy for them, Raskin’s straight ball through the middle splitting the defence and giving Cerny all the time and space he needed to roll the ball beyond an exposed Mitov.
Three minutes later, a dangerous Tavernier free-kick from deep found Dessers but he put his header over the top. Almost immediately, Rangers gave the ball away at the other end, McGrath passing to Gueye. From 10 yards out, his drive was saved by Kelly, Keskinen onto the rebound but unable to beat the goalkeeper at the near post.
It was 2-0 on 61, Dessers finally finding the back of the net. Cerny was given time to turn and spray the ball out to Raskin on the left and he pulled the ball back for Dessers to jab the ball home from five yards.
Jefte might have made it three four minutes later, firing over from 14 yards after Cerny had once again opened up the Dons’ defence. Devlin and Tobers then made way for Jensen and Milne. A heavy late tackle from Diomande on McGrath saw the Rangers man booked in the 67th minute.
The Dons should have been back in it in the 69th minute from a Clarkson corner that evaded everyone until it reached Polvara at the back post, but he skied his effort into the crowd.
It was game over a minute later, a poor clearance from Knoester going straight to Igamane who took a touch and then thrashed a clever shot into the far bottom corner. Rangers then brought on Rice for Diomande.
Mitov had to be in sharp action on 78, clawing away a free header for Balogun from a Rangers corner. Morris replaced Polvara a minute later, while Rangers exchanged Lawrence, Danilo and Kasanwirjo for Balogun, Raskin and Dessers.
There was another good save from Mitov, low to his left in the 87th minute as Danilo had the chance to turn and shoot from the edge of the box. McGrath was booked a minute later, and from the resultant free-kick, Mitov was in acrobatic action from Lawrence’s effort that beat the wall. Mitov again made a fine save from the flag kick as Cerny’s low drive looked bound for the bottom corner.
It was 4-0 in the 93rd minute, Mitov exposed again by a thick deflection off Jefte as Cerny’s shot from the edge of the box struck his colleague and spun into the far corner.
RANGERS: Kelly, Tavernier, Souttar, Balogun (Kasanwirjo 79), Jefte, Diomande (Rice 71), Barron, Raskin (Lawrence 80), Cerny, Bajrami (Igamane 46), Dessers (Danilo 80).
Subs not used: Butland, Propper, Cortes, Curtis.
GOALS: Cerny (55), Dessers (61), Igamane (70), Jefte (90+2)
BOOKED: Diomande, Souttar
ABERDEEN: Mitov, Devlin (Jensen 65), Tobers (Milne 65), Knoester, Shinnie, Clarkson, Polvara (Morris 79), Okkels (Nisbet 46), McGrath, Keskinen, Dabbagh (Gueye 46).
Subs not used: Doohan, Palaversa, MacKenzie, Ambrose.
BOOKED: Tobers, McGrath
