Match report as Aberdeen beat Rangers in the Premiership for the first time since 2018; Liam Scales opened the scoring with Bojan Miovski doubling the lead; the Dons have won their last seven games; Rangers are 13 points behind leaders Celtic
Monday 24 April 2023 06:33, UK
Liam Scales scored an incredible goal as Aberdeen shocked Rangers 2-0 to hand his parent club Celtic the chance to seal the Scottish Premiership title in their first post-split game.
The on-loan defender's cross sailed over goalkeeper Allan McGregor and into the net as the Dons took the lead just after the break.
Bojan Miovski headed in the second soon after as Barry Robson's side secured a seventh straight win to strengthen their grip on third.
Aberdeen's first win over Rangers since 2018 sees them five points ahead of Hearts, while Celtic are 13 points ahead of their Old Firm rivals and will secure back-to-back titles if they win their first game after the split.
It was a sobering defeat and before next week's crunch Scottish Cup semi-final against Celtic at Hampden Beale must get so much more from his side if they are to have a chance of retaining the trophy.
The afternoon had started with some promise for Rangers.
Amid an expected hurly-burly start the unchanged visitors first threatened in the 12th minute when striker Alfredo Morelos' turn and shot from eight yards, after a Fashion Sakala knock-down, was headed off the line by Leighton Clarkson and Gers midfielder John Lundstram fired the loose ball over the bar.
Dons 'keeper Kelle Roos then saved an effort from Sakala after the Gers attacker escaped the attention of Mattie Pollock.
The pace of the game refused to subside and in the 25th minute a sweeping Rangers move ended with left-back Borna Barisic striking the outside of the post with a drive.
The visitors began to build up a head of steam and after Sakala's clever flick put Nicolas Raskin through, the midfielder's shot was blocked by Pollock for a corner which Roos clutched out of the air.
Aberdeen had their first clear-cut chance in the 40th minute. Gers defender Ben Davies' careless pass was cut out by Miovski, and Ylber Ramadani, in for suspended skipper Graeme Shinnie, raced in on goal before forcing McGregor into a fine near-post save at the expense of a corner. But it came to nothing, the first half ending with Aberdeen's Ryan Duncan firing wide from distance.
Rangers skipper James Tavernier was involved in Aberdeen's goal when his pass up to Morelos was cut out by the alert Scales, who then launched what looked like a cross from the left which flew over McGregor and in at the far post.
There was no doubt about the intention of Aberdeen's second goal which came from Clarkson's sumptuous cross to the back post which Miovski headed back across McGregor and into the net, after he had peeled off Barisic and Davies, the goal confirmed after a long VAR check.
Rangers were all over the place for several minutes as the home side went for a third but they steadied and worked their way back into the game.
Roos saved 72nd-minute Tavernier's shot from point-blank range before substitute Rabbi Matondo, on for Raskin, missed from 14 yards but prospects of a comeback diminished by the minute.
At the other end, with five minutes remaining, McGregor blocked a drive from Duncan, preventing a bigger defeat for the shell-shocked Ibrox side, who could do nothing in the eight added minutes at the end of the game.
While Aberdeen's progress under Robson continues, Rangers have to refocus on their Scottish Cup semi against Celtic, now the biggest game of their season.
Aberdeen manager Barry Robson:
"You can see where we are as a team. It's not just a case of just coming in and trying to rally some players. You can see the things that we have worked on since day one.
"It's been difficult there has been a lot of information and details given every day and there has been a lot of hard work - and when you do that it gives you an opportunity to perform the way we did today.
"They were all fantastic, they grew into the game, they got better and they got stronger and they just wanted to fight to win and that is everything in football.
"They did great and that's as good as I've felt Pittodrie in a long time. I always want us to be a really, really difficult hard team that you don't want to come and play against and attacking with speed, power and flair and [on Sunday] we have done that."
Rangers manager Michael Beale:
"It's a very frustrating day and result for us, to lose. First half, I thought we played really well, we had big chances. We went in at half-time as the away team thinking we just need to be more ruthless in the final third. The first goal was a bit of a freak, I think the boy has crossed it and it has gone in and from then it's an uphill battle.
"Aberdeen pressed us really well. They didn't try to play too much football in the middle of the pitch, I thought they tried to play forward and get after us and they did that well.
"The performance was really in our hands and we were very wasteful in the final third on a day when we have come up against a hugely committed home team and a buoyant home crowd. And it stings, it's not a nice feeling at all."
Rangers' attention turns to the Scottish Cup with a semi-final against Celtic at Hampden Park on April 30.
The Scottish Premiership will return on the weekend on May 6/7 when it splits into the top six and bottom six.
The fixtures are yet to be announced.
