Motherwell recorded their third win at Ibrox in three seasons on Sunday afternoon, boosting the Steelmen’s chances of securing European football for next season.
A stunning first-half had the visitors two goals to the good by the break through strikes from Lukas Fadinger and Emmanuel Longelo. But a rejuvenated Rangers side got the game back on level terms by 70 minutes thanks to Youssef Chermiti and Nicolas Raskin.
And with the 50,000-plus Rangers fans sensing a late winner for their side that would be pivotal in their quest for the Scottish Premiership title, it was Motherwell who netted in stoppage time through Longelo.
Jens Berthel Askou brought Callum Slattery back into his side following his two-match suspension. Regan Charles-Cook made his return from injury, with the Grenada international fit enough for the bench.
The Rangers fans packed into Ibrox, knowing a win would take them a step closer to the title. In a sun-kissed Govan, the 500-strong Motherwell fans also made themselves heard but were treated to a nervous start to the match.
Thelo Aasgard was presented with a chance from a free kick inside 90 seconds, but the Norweigan’s strike curled over Calum Ward’s goal.
The Ibrox crowd began to get restless after 15 minutes, with the Steelmen seeing large spells with the ball. And on 16 minutes, Motherwell made that possession count.
Ward collected the ball from a high cross and looked to start a move quickly. His quick throw got Motherwell moving forward, with Fadinger picking up the ball on the halfway line and driving forward. The Austrian slipped the ball out to Stephen O’Donnell, playing as a left-winger, who fed the ball back to Fadinger, who had continued his run into the box. The midfielder kept his cool and found the bottom corner with his left foot to break the deadlock.
Having just scored, Fadinger was then involved in some drama at the other end just seconds later. The Austrian came into the back of Djeidi Gassama, who fell to the ground right on the edge of the box. VAR checked to ensure the foul took place outside the penalty box, with Kevin Clancy’s decision of a free kick upheld. Bojan Miovski rolled the ball to the right to tee up Aasgard, but his strike was blocked by one of the sliding Motherwell defenders, and the ball went out for a corner.
But after 25 minutes, Motherwell doubled their advantage following a brilliant team move. Elliot Watt, at the heart of everything the Steelmen were doing, fed Slattery, who swivelled on the ball before playing out to Tom Sparrow, who put in a teasing cross which found Longelo at the back post to tap home in what has become his trademark goal.
Miovski won a free kick on the edge of the penalty box, with the North Macedonian blazing his driven effort high and wide. Motherwell remained calm on the ball despite the electric atmosphere and almost completed another stunning team move.
From a goal kick, the Steelmen made it up to the other end of the pitch in just three passes. This time, Longelo turned provider as he curled in a delightful cross from the wide area which found a sliding Slattery, but the Englishman’s finish never troubled Jack Butland.
The Rangers defence couldn’t get a break from the Motherwell forwards, with Slattery again involved. He picked up the ball on the right-hand side and curled a cross towards O’Donnell. Tussling with the defender, O’Donnell couldn’t gain control, but the ball slid out to Longelo, who was once again left unmarked, but this time he couldn’t find the target.
Two goals to the good and with half-time approaching, Motherwell did not slow down. Ward once again started an attacking move after gathering the ball from a corner; he threw it out to Tawanda Maswanhise, who got his side up the pitch. Slattery showed some brilliance to avoid the tackles of two Rangers defenders and played the ball out to the opposite side. O’Donnell delivered, but Elijah Just couldn’t get on the end of the cross despite his best efforts.
The boos rang out from the home crowd as the half-time whistle was blown, but a triple substitute by Danny Rohl showed that the game was far from won for Motherwell. The introduction of Mikey Moore, James Tavernier and Mohamed Diomande signalled a change of approach from Rangers as they looked to get back into the game.
The Gers started the brighter of the sides in the second period, with Gassama’s cross touching the top of the crossbar after 48 minutes.
And after six minutes of the second period, Rangers had one back. Substitute Diomande found Chermiti in the final third as the Portuguese forward drove forward. Cutting inside, Paul McGinn lost his footing at the most unfortunate time, allowing the Rangers man to slot past Ward and halve the deficit.
Moments later, Stephen Welsh had to be replaced with Jordan McGhee as Askou was forced to use his bench after 55 minutes as the Celtic loanee limped off with what looked like cramp.
Rangers’ tails were up, and the momentum was with the hosts. Chermiti should have done a lot better when Aasgard teed him up, but his curling effort just inside the box was well off target.
Motherwell stuck to their principles and began to grow back into the game. Maswanhise tested Butland with a difficult shot, and with the Rangers stopper unable to hold onto the ball, it took a Tavernier interception to stop Longelo from tapping home the rebound.
Ward gathered a weak Chermiti header before Diomande’s cross had to be touched over the bar just before the 70-minute mark. But Rangers did get their sought-after equaliser on the 72nd minute. A corner was delivered to the back post area, and Emmanuel Fernandez rose highest to head back across goal to Chermiti, whose header came off the back of Raskin’s head before nestling into the net.
Rangers almost netted a third shortly after. Moore drove up the left-hand side and found Aagard with the cutback, but the Norwegian fired over much to the relief of the Motherwell players.
Ibrahim Said and Regan Charles-Cook brought a freshness to the Motherwell frontline as the Steelmen also continued to push for the winner. With just over five to play, the ball fell to Fadinger on the edge of the box, but he couldn’t keep the effort down as he looked for his second of the afternoon.
A scramble in the Motherwell penalty area almost presented Moore with the opportunity to win the game in the latter stages, but it was Motherwell who found the winner.
Not for the first time in the afternoon, O’Donnell burst forward up the left-hand side and patiently waited on Longelo’s overlapping run. The full-back cut inside onto his weaker right foot and sent a shot on target which found its way past Butland in the 90th minute to spark wild celebrations in the away end.
With seven minutes added, however, the job was far from complete, with Motherwell having to remain switched on right until the very end. In one final attempt to take a point, the ball was sent into the box and found Chermiti six yards out. His shot was saved by Ward, who rushed out to close the angle, but the ball found itself at Moore, who seemingly couldn’t miss from just yards out. But the Tottenham loanee couldn’t get a clean strike away, and Motherwell would take a big step forward in their quest for European football next season.
Motherwell Team: Ward, Sparrow, McGinn, Welsh, O’Donnell, Longelo, Watt, Fadinger, Slattery, Maswanhise, Just.
Motherwell Subs: Connelly, Gordon, McGhee, Priestman, Ross, Charles-Cook, Nicholson, Hendry, Said.
