Rangers 3-1 Kilmarnock: Player ratings + talking points as two 8/10s help Rohl get Ibrox reign off to winning start
How we rated the Rangers players in their 3-1 Scottish Premiership win over Kilmarnock at Ibrox
Danny Rohl’s first domestic game in charge ended with a 3-1 victory over Kilmarnock as Rangers ended a five-month wait for a home league win.
The hosts, who hadn’t tasted success at Ibrox since May under interim boss Barry Ferguson, ran out convincing winners with goals from Derek Cornelius, Danilo and substitute Youssef Chermiti rendering George Stanger’s first-half equaliser a consolation.
There was far more energy and inventiveness in the Rangers team on this occasion following their 3-0 Europa League humbling at the hands of SK Brann in Bergen on Thursday night.
Rohl made four changes to his starting line-up after their nightmare in Norway just three days earlier with the German head coach opting for a switch of formation from a 4-2-3-1 to an enterprising 3-5-2. Danilo and Bojan Miovski formed a new-look strike pairing, with Djeidi Gassama and Jayden Meghoma operating as wing-backs on either flank.
The former Sheffield Wednesday boss had expressed a desire to change the “mindset” of his players going forward after a torrid start to the campaign and on Remembrance Day in Govan his team finally delivered a long-awaited performance and result.
16 points behind Premiership leaders Hearts before kick-off after the Jambos sensational 3-1 win over Celtic in the lunchtime kick-off, three points was a MUST for Rohl and his players.
Killie, still licking their wounds after a thumping 3-0 defeat at home by table-toppers Hearts last weekend, arrived in Govan eyeing a first victory at Ibrox since 2018.
Following a perfectly observed minute’s silence to remember the men and women who gave their lives in service of their country, the opening goal of the Rohl era arrived after 15 minutes.
Captain James Tavernier floated a superb cross into the box and centre-back Derek Cornelius reacted fastest after scampering clear of his marker to bullet a header beyond Eddie Beach in the visitors goal. Just the start Rohl was seeking.
Rangers had lift off and they almost doubled their advantage from a set piece with another teasing Tavernier delivery bouncing off the top of the crossbar and behind.
Kilmarnock were defending doggedly at one end, but they miraculously back on level terms five minutes before the interval when Jack Butland flapped at a Greg Kiltie corner from the left. The ball flashed across the face of goal and fell to George Stanger unmarked at the back post to tap into an empty net.
The home side thought they were back in front just two minutes later when a poor clearance from Beach struck Cornelius on the back and the ball dropped to Bojan Miovski to nod home, but the North Macedonian international was caught in an offside position.
Mikey Moore was introduced at the start of the second half, replacing Miovski, and the Tottenham Hotspur loanee brought a fresh spark to proceedings. Moments after the returning Mohamed Diomande had an effort from distance flash high and wide of the target, the Gers restored their lead.
A pinpoint cross from the lively Jayden Meghoma found Brazilian frontman Danilo, who managed to steer a powerful header past the outstretched Beach into the bottom corner - his first goal since January 2nd against Celtic and one that that is sure to give 26-year-old a much-needed confidence boost.
However, Kilmarnock were still in the contest and Bruce Anderson thought he had made it 2-2 with a terrific header which appeared destined to nestle in at Butland’s near post, only for the Rangers No.1 to produce an outstanding fingertip save.
Danilo went off to a standing ovation with around 20 minutes left, with his replacement Youssef Chermiti finally making the type of impact supporters were eager to see. The big-money summer signing from Premier League club Everton grabbed his first Rangers goal from a wicked 20-yard strike which flashed past Beach, despite the Killie shot-stopper getting a hand to the ball.
Remarkably, it was the Portuguese Under-21 international’s first since MAY 2023!
From there on, it was one-way traffic with Moore having a pop from the edge of the box which cannoned off Stanger and flashed narrowly past the post, with the resulting corner from Tavernier finding Cornelius again but covering defender James Brown hooked the ball off the line for Killie.
Nico Raskin then had the ball in the net, but the Belgian’s celebrations were short-lived as the offside flag went up, with confirmation it was disallowed coming after a very lengthy VAR check.
Matter not. Rangers, at long last, has picked up their first home win of the campaign on a comfortably afternoon in Glasgow’s southside.
Here, GlasgowWorld breaks down three main talking points from the 90 minutes and how the Rangers players fared:
Rohl’s Rangers reign has lift-off
The was an energetic display packed full of creativity and resilience. Rohl made the bold decision to re-jig the shape of his team and it paid off. The German had clearly instructed Jayden Meghoma and Djeidi Gassama to get higher up the pitch when Rangers were in possession.
At times, Rangers were attacking with a front four with Raskin and Diomande providing a solid midfield base. More importantly, Rohl celebrated a successful first outing at Ibrox as supporters chanted his name at full-time. Next up, a trip to Easter Road to face Hibs on Wednesday night before the small matter of an Old Firm semi-final in the League Cup a week today.
Danilo ends lengthy goal drought
Somewhat of a forgotten figure, a return to form for the Brazilian couldn’t come at a better time. Danilo failed to start a game under previous boss Russell Martin since the embarrassing 6-0 defeat to Club Brugge in Champions League qualifying in August.
However, fans will have been encouraged by his 70 minute offering here as he produced a lethal header to fire Rangers back in front before being replaced by Chermiti.
£8m signing steps up to the mark
For Youssef Chermiti, ending a three-year and 903-day wait for a goal will have felt like such a relief. The same could be said for sporting director Kevin Thelwell up in the director’s box. After all, he was the man who signed off the £8 million deal to bring the ex-Everton striker to Govan.
Thelwell had come under major scrutiny from fans struggling to grasp why he had splashed out the club’s second-highest ever transfer fee on a player who had shown few signs of proving he was up to matching that lofty value. But the Portuguese ace finally started to repay the faith shown in him with an impressive strike that wrapped up the points.
Rangers player ratings vs Kilmarnock
GK - Jack Butland (5/10)
RB - James Tavernier (8/10)
LCB - Derek Cornelius (7/10)
CM - Mohamed Diomande (7/10)
CM - Nicolas Raskin (7/10)
RCM - Thelo Aasgaard (6/10)
LCM - Djeidi Gassama (7/10)
CF - Danilo (7/10)
CF - Bojan Miovski (5/10)