Rangers 4-0 Livingston

Rangers 4-0 Livingston

Viaplay Cup Quarter-Final

Wednesday 27th September 2023

If you’re Rangers and you hammer Livingston at home, then it’s expected.

If you’re Rangers and you lose to Livingston at home, there’s massive scrutiny, a media storm, questions flying around left, right and centre, and everyone has an opinion from seasoned pundits to Barbara on the tills at Tesco. 

Throw in the struggles which Rangers have endured already this season - in spite of the good result against Real Betis and three points against Motherwell last time out, the pressure that’s already on Michael Beale - and the fall-out from such a defeat would have potentially been supersonic.

Thankfully, Rangers worst fears weren’t realised in this game - and, if truth be told, it was a pretty comfortable night for them even if they did get a shade of good fortune with that opener (definite foul; just not given) and the fact the final scoreline was a bit flattering as the game lacked entertainment.

Just a case really of getting the job done and getting into the next round.

In a game which won’t live too long in the memory, Rangers knew that Livvy were likely to rock up at Ibrox and be defensive, so the need for an early goal was massive and after James Tavernier forced the visiting ‘keeper into a fingertip save inside 10 minutes, the opener soon came thanks to Abdallah Sima. Yes, there was a push and I don’t think there’s anyone who would disagree. Nine times out of 10 you’d get the decision but this was the one instance you get away with it, and thereafter what can’t be denied is the quality Sima showed as he worked his way into the box and fired home emphatically from a tight-ish angle!

That’s how the game stayed up to half-time; there wasn’t very much else to get excited about either. Everyone knows that a 1-0 lead can be precarious and Livingston almost equslised around the hour mark when Luiyi De-Lucas flashed a header just wide in what was a warning to Rangers that their job wasn’t done yet.

A second goal was needed so step forward Ridvan (quite literally) who carried the ball out of defence on a 50-yard run from the left-back spot, kept going, and eventually smashed a shot into the net from 20 yards - immediately releasing the unease and frustration that was starting to build up. Shades of Ryan Giggs against Arsenal; albeit less men beaten and miles more space allowed to him as Livingston’s defence stood off, but a quality goal nonetheless.

Things still didn’t quite go perfectly for Rangers from this point onwards as Ridvan was soon taken off having gone down whilst Kemar Roofe also went off apparently injured, but gloss was added to the scoreline late on as, firstly, Abdallah Sima made it 3-0 before Ryan Jack got on the score-sheet right at the end for 4-0!

Disaster averted; still far from the most exciting game ever, but at least Rangers are still in the Viaplay Cup. 

That’s what they needed to achieve beforehand and a Semi-Final against Hearts now awaits (which will be a tough game) whilst Hibernian and Aberdeen will do battle in the other semi.