Rangers say goodbye to torturous year with win as Rohl mantra sees gap closed on Celtic and Hearts
Rangers continue to build momentum as they close the gap on Celtic with win at Ibrox
It may have started with a 3-0 thumping of Celtic, but 2025 has not been kind to Rangers. Three permanent managers, 22 points dropped at home, a horror summer transfer window, and most importantly, not even a sniff of silverware.
For Rangers supporters, the year has been a real test of character. Still, their 2-1 Scottish Premiership win against St Mirren on Tuesday night will deliver a droplet of hope heading into the new year, as their solid if unspectacular form continued under head coach Danny Rohl.
Goals from Thelo Aasgaard and Emmanuel Fernandez sealed the victory on a bitterly cold night that saw temperatures drop to minus 2 °C in Govan. Their eighth win in 11 league games, Rohl has now led Rangers to their best run for 10 months. The typical Ibrox tension may just have been lifted a little.
Boosted by the return of key defender John Souttar to the starting XI, the Scotland international made his first start since the 3-0 win at Dundee on November 9, while Rabbi Matondo was named in the matchday squad for the first time in 11 months after recovering from a knee problem.
A well-organised St Mirren were able to hold Rangers to half-chances in the opening throes of the game, with a headed effort from Mohamed Diomande and a long-range effort from Mikey Moore all they had to show for their early dominance. At the opposite end of the pitch, the physicality of Mikael Mandron provided the visitors with a valuable out ball, and they almost took the lead against the run of play when Jayden Richardson burst through on goal after 23 minutes. However, Rangers goalkeeper Jack Butland was more than equal to it.
Good interplay between Youssef Chermiti and Djeidi Gassama then handed Nico Raskin a glorious chance to fire Rangers into the lead. The Belgian could only tap wide with the goal gaping, though. They didn’t need to wait long for the opener, though, with Aasgaard heading home his second goal in four days from Jayden Meghoma’s short corner as the Gers' dominance paid off.
Moore then almost added a spectacular second moments later when his right foot drive was tipped onto the post by Shamal George, before Fernandez put the game to bed early into the second-half when he connected with a delicious Chermiti cross.
St Mirren had the chance to reduce the deficit when they were awarded a penalty following a short VAR check on 75 minutes, only for Butland to stop Marcus Fraser’s weak spot kick. Mandron was able to bundle home on 82 minutes, but Rangers survived a late scare to take a deserved three points.
Is it vintage Rangers? Absolutely not, but Rohl is largely delivering on what he asked to do upon his appointment by piecing together a run of consecutive wins. Drummed into him like a mantra, the 36-year-old knows it is the only way out of the hole Rangers dug themselves earlier in the season.
A defeat to league leaders Hearts blotted his copy book in recent weeks, but having managed to cut the gap at the top to just six points - and three to second-placed Celtic who lost at Motherwell - the German now has a genuine chance of putting together an unexpected title challenge with a visit to Parkhead next up at the weekend.
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