Rangers secured a 3-0 victory over St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park, with James Tavernier scoring two late penalty goals. This win propelled them to the top of the Scottish Premiership.
On Saturday, Celtic was held to a 1-1 tie against Kilmarnock at home, giving Philippe Clement’s team the opportunity to take a two-point lead at the top if they win in Perth. Since Clement took over for Michael Beale at Ibrox in October, Brendan Rodgers’ team has seen their seven-point lead diminish.
In the 37th minute of a lackluster first half, Mohamed Diomandé brought some excitement with a powerful shot from 25 yards. This marked the Ivorian midfielder’s debut goal for the Light Blues, having joined on a loan from Nordsjælland during the January transfer window.
The Rangers won the game thanks to two penalties given in the final 11 minutes, which were decided by VAR. Tavernier successfully scored both penalties, increasing his total number of goals this season to 19 and pushing his team ahead of their Old Firm rivals. Both teams have 12 games left in the season.
The supporters of Rangers were filled with anticipation as they made their way to the early afternoon match. Manager Clement stuck to his strategy of rotating players, bringing back Borna Barisic, Óscar Córtes, Scott Wright, Diomande, and Fábio Silva. Craig Levein’s team, currently in 10th place, welcomed back Dan Phillips from injury, as well as Connor Smith and Ryan McGowan.
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The Rangers were unsuccessful in posing a threat to St. Johnstone’s goalkeeper Dimitar Mitov at the beginning, in a messy start, until Diomande came forward to score the first goal. McGowan managed to take the ball from Silva, but it landed at Diomandé’s feet, who then took a touch and shot it past the diving Mitov.
After serving his suspension, Dujon Sterling returned to the field and took Wright’s place on the wing during halftime. Benjamin Kimpioka, a striker for Saints, also came on for David Keltjens, who had received a yellow card in the first half. Shortly after the game resumed, Mitov made an impressive save from Silva’s shot at close range. Sterling then attempted to connect with a cross from Todd Cantwell, but was unsuccessful.
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Cyriel Dessers and Ross McCausland were subbed in for Silva and Córtes, while Tom Lawrence took the place of Cantwell as Clement searched for a second goal to secure a comfortable lead. The opportunity arose when Andy Considine committed a foul against Sterling, and referee Matt MacDermid confirmed the penalty after reviewing the VAR monitor on the sidelines.
Tavernier easily scored against Mitov, and Dessers attempted to add a third goal by maneuvering around the keeper. However, St Johnstone captain Liam Gordon intervened and protected the ball from going in.
Dessers received a cross from Tavernier and headed it against the bar. Lawrence’s shot hit Luke Robinson’s hand. After reviewing the footage on his monitor, MacDermid once again awarded a penalty. This time, the Rangers captain successfully scored his 120th goal for the club by sending it high into the opposite corner.
Following the match, Clement commended Tavernier and shared that he was the initial player he connected with upon his arrival. He explained, “It’s typical to speak with someone when you enter a new environment and there is a problem to be addressed. I was eager to find a solution as quickly as possible.”
“He was incredibly transparent and sincere when discussing the club, the dressing room, and himself,” the Belgian stated. “Now, he has a few trusted advisors by his side who also play a significant role. This support system is crucial. It’s evident that they have all shown growth in the past few months, without any exceptions.”
Levein joked that “VAR is winning 8-0 against us,” but he was dissatisfied with the decision to award a penalty against Robinson. He expressed confusion about how one is expected to keep their arm in while spinning. He also noted that the referee did not see the incident and it was ultimately the VAR officials who made the call.
VAR did not solely contribute to our loss in the game today, but it definitely gave Rangers an advantage. I am unsure of the most effective rule for handball, but it would be ideal to have one that is fair for all teams.
Source: theguardian.com
