Summary Glasgow Rangers secured a solid 2-0 victory over Ross County, setting themselves up well for their upcoming match in Eindhoven. Captain James Tavernier showcased his brilliance with a stunning goal and impressive attacking contributions, helping his team keep a clean sheet. But another player was rock-solid at the back, displaying comfort on the ball and winning key duels, making them a crucial player in the team's defensive success.
Glasgow Rangers secured a solid 2-0 victory over Ross County in the pouring rain at Dingwall, setting them up nicely for the trip to Eindhoven in midweek.
Michael Beale made a few changes from the 2-2 draw against PSV at Ibrox on Tuesday, and this included a start for Kemar Roofe – his first since April 2022.
Having lost their first Premiership tie against Kilmarnock and slipping immediately behind Celtic, all three points were required, and they duly delivered.
How did Rangers perform vs Ross County?
A solid, if unspectacular performance secured another win, and Beale will be pleased by how comfortably the game went by, especially in the first half.
Captain James Tavernier led by example with yet another wonderful performance, and his goal was a sight to behold.
Striding forward with purpose, the right-back looked in a menacing mood and unleashed a stunning, dipping shot that nestled into the top corner to give the Light Blues a two-goal advantage following Kemar Roofe’s opener.
Alongside his goal, the Englishman also demonstrated how effective he is going forward by making four key passes during the tie, while also succeeding with one successful dribble and taking three shots during the game.
Defensively, he won 50% of his ground duels along with making one tackle and one interception, as well as committing just one foul, which was good enough to help his team keep a clean sheet.
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But as good as Tavernier was, it was centre-back John Souttar who was an absolute rock at the back for Beale against the Highland side, and he was a major contributing factor to the club keeping a clean sheet.
How did John Souttar perform against Ross County?
Speaking to the media before this match, fellow defender Leon Balogun praised the Scot, saying:
“I think he’s a very strong player. Last season didn’t go the way he planned as he got injured early on. Since I’ve come back, you can see that he’s a good defender and there are a few things that I’ve wanted to copy from him.
“We’ve got really good defenders in the backline and there’s no point being sour because we have big targets this season. In order to achieve them, you need a strong squad and that’s what we have.”
Against County, Souttar was a rock, while also showing how comfortable he is on the ball by taking 77 touches and completing 48 passes as he looked to start attacks from the back often.
Souttar won eight of nine total duels during the match, showcasing his physicality. He also made seven clearances, three interceptions and two tackles, and wasn’t dribbled past once across the 90 minutes.
It was a commanding performance by the former Hearts defender, and he has certainly emerged as a first-choice centre-back alongside Connor Goldson.
With two tough games against PSV and Celtic to come next week, seeing the 26-year-old in this sort of form will undoubtedly please Beale ahead of tougher tasks.