A STUNNING strike from summer signing Vaclav Cerny helped Rangers to a 2-1 victory over Motherwell in the Scottish Premiership this afternoon.
Cyriel Dessers opened the scoring inside the opening 15 minutes, before an own goal got Motherwell back level at Hampden. However, Cerny, who this afternoon made his first start for the club, restored the lead with a fantastic curling strike to ensure Rangers took the three points.
From the midweek draw with Dynamo Kyiv, the manager named two changes to his side with Robin Propper and Vaclav Cerny both named in the starting XI for the first time, with Leon Balogun and Ross McCausland on the bench.
That meant Rangers started at Hampden with Jack Butland in goal behind a back four of captain James Tavernier, John Souttar, Robin Propper and Ridvan.
It was the same midfield three as midweek with Mohamed Diomande, Connor Barron and Tom Lawrence there, while Cerny joined Scott Wright in support of striker Cyriel Dessers.
Rangers got the action underway, as 50,000 supporters packed Hampden for the squad’s first match at their temporary home due to ongoing works at Ibrox.
It was a really strong start from Clement’s men, and from the first whistle, their attacking intentions were clear with Diomande seeing a shot blocked from distance after a good move. At the other end, Lennon Miller hit the side netting with a shot from a tight angle.
Inside the opening five minutes, Scott Wright tested Motherwell goalkeeper Aston Oxborough as he got on the end of a Ridvan cross but the Motherwell stopper was able to hold.
There was a fantastic chance for Rangers shortly after as Vaclav Cerny played a lovely ball into the path of Scott Wright, but his low strike was cleared off the line by a Motherwell defender. The rebound fell to Cryiel Dessers who directed a powerful effort back towards goal but Oxborough somehow managed to block the effort with his feet.
However, it wasn’t long until the breakthrough came, and it was Dessers who scored for the second time in two games. Ridvan swung the ball into the box from the left, and with Rangers bodies in the box, Mohamed Diomande managed to head it back across goal and into the path of Dessers who made no mistake in tapping into the bottom corner to give Rangers a deserved lead early in this match.
The lead lasted less than five minutes, as Motherwell found their way back into this match through a stroke of luck. Rangers were unable to deal with a cross into the box from Steven Sneddon and after a deflection, Robin Propper turned it behind Jack Butland and into the back of his own net to draw the game level again.
Scott Wright had a goal disallowed from a James Tavernier corner as Clement’s men pushed to quickly restore their lead in this match.
With 24 minutes played, Rangers were back ahead and it was a lovely finish from signing Vaclav Cerny with his first goal for the club. The ball came down the right through captain James Tavernier and he played it into the winger who turned well before curling a superb shot from the edge of the box beyond Oxborough to give Rangers the advantage at Hampden again.
James Tavernier was next to test the keeper with a free-kick which looked to be curling in at the near post but the goalkeeper got enough on it to tip it behind for a corner.
In first-half injury time, John Souttar saw a shot deflected wide from a Ridvan corner as Rangers headed in at the break with the 2-1 advantage.
Motherwell saw a sight of goal early in the second-half from a free-kick as the ball fell for substitute Zachary Robinson but his shot was wide of the target.
Philippe Clement turned to his bench with 55 minutes played at Hampden as Dujon Sterling and Ross McCausland were introduced in place of Tom Lawrence and goalscorer Vaclav Cerny.
Liam Gordon flashed a long-range strike wide for the visitors as Motherwell looked for a route back into this game.
In a nice move for Rangers, Dujon Sterling who had taken up position in midfield, fed a lovely pass through to Cyriel Dessers but the striker was unable to keep his effort down as it drifted over the crossbar.
Sterling had a chance of his own shortly after as he got on the end of a James Tavernier corner, but his header was high of the target.
Another two changes followed for Rangers with 20 minutes remaining as Robin Propper and Scott Wright were replaced by Leon Balogun and Rabbi Matondo, before shortly after Kieran Dowell was introduced in place of Mohamed Diomande for the final period of the match.
Rabbi Matondo had a strike held by the goalkeeper in the dying stages of the match, while Rangers saw out some late Motherwell pressure to take the victory.
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