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Rejuvenated Aberdeen made it seven straight wins underneath interim boss Barry Robson with a 2-0 victory over startled Rangers at Pittodrie.
The hosts had the most effective of a goalless first half and three minutes after the restart, defender Liam Scales beat Allan McGregor with a shocking if maybe fortuitous effort from extensive on the left for his first aim since signing on mortgage from Celtic final summer season.
Bojan Miovski headed in a second within the 56th minute to assist Aberdeen to their first residence win over Rangers since September 2016.
Robson took over from Jim Goodwin in January and the third-placed Dons proceed on an upward trajectory. Michael Beale, in the meantime, should have issues, with Rangers 13 factors behind leaders Celtic with 5 post-split fixtures remaining. However in actuality the title was already gone with Rangers hopes all residing within the Scottish Cup, their final lifelike likelihood of silverware this season.
It was a sobering defeat and Beale should get much more from his facet in subsequent week’s crunch semi-final in opposition to Celtic if they’re to have an opportunity of retaining the trophy.
The afternoon had began with some promise for the Ibrox facet. Amid a hurly-burly begin the unchanged guests threatened within the twelfth minute when Alfredo Morelos’ shot from eight yards was headed off the road by Leighton Clarkson and John Lundstram fired the unfastened ball over the bar. Kelle Roos then saved an effort from Trend Sakala after the attacker escaped the eye of Mattie Pollock.
The tempo of the sport didn’t subside and within the twenty fifth minute a sweeping Rangers transfer ended with left-back Borna Barisic hanging the surface of the publish with a drive. The guests started to construct up a head of steam and when Sakala’s intelligent flick put Nicolas Raskin via, the midfielder’s shot was blocked by Pollock for a nook.
Aberdeen had their first clearcut likelihood within the fortieth minute. Ben Davies’ careless cross was lower out by Miovski and Ylber Ramadani, in for the suspended captain Graeme Shinnie, raced in on aim earlier than forcing McGregor right into a high quality near-post save. However the ensuing nook got here to nothing, the primary half ending with Aberdeen’s Ryan Duncan firing extensive from distance.
Rangers captain James Tavernier was partyl culpable for Aberdeen’s aim when his cross as much as Morelos was lower out by the alert Scales, who then launched what appeared like a cross from the left which flew over McGregor and crept in on the far publish.
However there was little question in regards to the intention of Aberdeen’s second, which got here from Clarkson’s luxurious cross to the again publish that Miovski headed again throughout McGregor and into the online, the aim confirmed after a protracted VAR test.
Rangers had been in every single place for a number of minutes as the house facet went for a 3rd however they steadied and labored their manner again into the sport. Within the 72nd minute Roos saved Tavernier’s shot from point-blank vary earlier than substitute Rabbi Matondo, on for Raskin, missed from 14 yards as prospects of a comeback diminished by the minute.
On the different finish McGregor blocked a drive from Duncan, stopping an even bigger defeat for the shell-shocked guests.
Whereas Aberdeen’s progress underneath Robson continues, Rangers should now refocus on their upcoming semi-final in opposition to Celtic, now the most important recreation of their season.
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