Lethargic Rangers title push derailed as Motherwell stun Ibrox again to hand Hearts and Celtic initiative

As the stakes continue to rise with each passing game, it was Rangers turn to trip up when it mattered most against a classy Motherwell side, who ended a run of five league games without a win in spectacular fashion and consigned Danny Rohl’s side to a damaging defeat. Forget Brian Laudrup and Paul Gascoigne, this was like watching an episode of Laurel and Hardy.

Two teams in contrasting form locked horns in the Govan sunshine, but it was the men in claret and amber that looked more like the side currently locked in a title battle. First-half goals from Lukas Fadinger and Emmanuel Longelo had set the visitors on course to record a third success in four seasons at Ibrox. Youssef Chermiti and Nico Raskin had drawn the hosts back level after the break before Longelo popped up with the winner in added time.

After fellow title challengers Celtic won on Saturday, Rangers knew they could leapfrog their city rivals with a victory of their own against the fourth-top Steelmen, with leaders Hearts not in Edinburgh derby action until later in the day.

But Ibrox has been a happy hunting ground for Motherwell in recent years and they continued that trend by producing the type of rip-roaring performance that has earned them plenty of acclaim this season. Just when it appeared the wheels had fallen off a memorable campaign, Jens Berthel Askou’s charges were here to throw a spanner in the works for Rangers’ silverware hopes.

Rangers have been scoring goals at an impressive rate, netting 14 times in their past three league games. But they have conceded too often and the manner of this error-strewn display could prove costly to their title ambitions.

In the week that captain James Tavernier announced that he would be leaving the club this summer, the defensive stalwart was dropped to the bench, with his place going to Dujon Sterling, while Bojan Miovski rekindled his strike partnership with Chermiti that proved fruitful in their 6-3 win at Falkirk a fortnight ago.

How Rangers v Motherwell unfolded

Ibrox was a sea of colour and a cauldron of noise ahead of kick-off as the Union Bears unfurled a ‘Keep Believing’ tifo featuring club ambassador Marvin Andrews, who did his best to ramp up the atmosphere.

Following a week of intensive training in the Spanish heat, Rangers started with intent, pressing their opponents high and attempting to force the issue from the outset. But a packed home crowd were stunned into silence after 16 minutes when the visitors opened the scoring with their first noteworthy venture into the box.

Fadinger picked out Stephen O’Donnell on the left before receiving the return ball. The midfielder looked up and sent a crisply-struck effort beyond Jack Butland into the far corner of the net.

Askou had called on his players to “grasp the moments” when they arrived, and the travelling support were in dreamland after 25 minutes. Full-back Longelo rounded off a sweeping move by turning home Tom Sparrow’s cross at the back post as they continued to cause serious problems with their movement and intricate passing.

The situation had become desperate for Rangers. They had their work cut out to keep their title push intact. And when Callum Slattery turned Longelo’s cross narrowly wide of the target just shy of the half hour mark, the home fans let their feelings known.

Motherwell were running riot. The picture looked bleak for the hosts as a chorus of boos greeted the half-time whistle, but Rangers have become well accustomed to chasing games this term. It was nothing new to Rohl’s men and it came as no surprise when the German boss elected for a triple substitution, with Tavernier, Moore and Mohamed Diomande all called upon for the second half.

Reverting to a more natural 4-3-3 shape, the changes brought about a marked improvement in performance level. Moments after Djeidi Gassama had clipped the crossbar from a cross-cum-shot, Rangers were back in the contest. Chermiti latched onto Diomande’s pass and wriggled away from Paul McGinn before side-footing low into the net for his 12th goal of the campaign.

Suddenly, Rangers had the bit between their teeth for the first time. After Chermiti passed up two opportunities in quick succession, Raskin turned home the equaliser from a Tavernier corner, which had been headed back across goal by Emmanuel Fernandez. Chermiti reacted quickest, but Raskin was credited with the final touch in a crowded penalty area.

However, there was to be another dramatic twist in the tale in the first minute of added time when Longelo controlled O’Donnell’s pass before cutting inside and firing beyond Butland via a deflection off the head of Fernandez to leave Rangers title credentials hanging by a thread.