Motherwell 1-2 Rangers: Ibrox side win after Liverpool humiliation

Stuart McKinstry’s late free-kick made Rangers nervous

Rangers survived a late Motherwell rally to bounce back from their Liverpool mole with a Scottish Premier League win.

Malik Tillman and John Lundstram put the visitors ahead after a lackluster first half at Fir Park.

Stuart McKinstry’s deceptive free-kick provided a finish in the stands but an increasingly nervous Rangers held on.

The Ibrox side are two points behind leaders Celtic while Well are in eighth place.

The result means Rangers are back on track after their 7-1 Champions League defeat by Liverpool, but Giovanni van Bronckhorst will have plenty to think about after a tense 90 minutes.

The first half was almost a non-event, which Motherwell would no doubt have been happier about. Ryan Kent and Tillman both had a couple of half-chances but the reaction to that record loss at Ibrox wasn’t what the Rangers manager had hoped for.

There was a small sign of intent early in the second half when a Borna Barisic cross hit Antonio Colak’s head, but the Croatian placed his header unusually wide on the edge.

Motherwell went up the other end and startled Rangers when Kevin van Veen drilled a low effort to force a good low save from Allan McGregor. It was Well’s first touch in the Rangers box all day.

However, the game finally got that magic moment it so badly needed when Tillman picked up in his own half. He charged forward and went unchallenged before throwing his hips, dancing around and passing Liam Kelly.

The Motherwell mood was fading and Rangers thought the game was over when Lundstram nodded in from a Barisic corner with great help from Van Veen up front.

However, Motherwell’s McKinstry did not read the script. After a free-kick deep down the left, the Leeds United loanee rolled the ball straight over McGregor’s head to score his first goal at Bordeaux and Bernstein.

But the goal wasn’t what he dreamed of as it would only be a consolation as Rangers, who retreated to defend their narrow lead, held on.

Player of the Match – Malik Tillman

Tillman’s goal got the game going and he was probably the Rangers’ biggest threat of the entire game, but that wasn’t much of a distinction this afternoon.

Unconvincing Rangers to Victory – Analysis

There was much talk ahead of the game about how Rangers would react to that loss to Liverpool and they left the tunnel as a side still in pain.

Their pride was bruised and they weren’t ready to rush back to winning ways. But they still got a win.

They attacked cautiously, waiting for something to happen. Eventually it did, and they have Tillman and the careless Motherwell to thank for defending himself.

It looked like the game was over and dusted until McKinstry’s goal Well was to be believed, but they failed to test McGregor properly again and Rangers return to Ibrox with a valuable three points.

What’s next?

Motherwell host Celtic in the League Cup on Wednesday night (18:15 BST) while Rangers host Dundee (20:15).

player of the game

GodSean Goss

mother well

1. squad number27player nameGod

2. squad number1player nameKelly

3. squad number9player nameby Veen

4. squad number17player nameMcKintry

5. squad number16player nameMcGinn

6. squad numberfifteenplayer nameJohansen

7. squad number26player nameTierney

8. squad number8thplayer nameslate

9. squad number24player namepenny

10. squad number4player namelama

11. squad number23player nameMorris

12. squad number5player nameDo not be

13. squad number18player nameCornelius

ranger

1. squad number4player nameLundstram

2. squad number71player nametillmann

3. squad number9player namecoke

4. squad number26player namedavies

5. squad number37player nameArfeld

6. squad number38player nameking

7. squad number10player nameDavis

8. squad number17player nameMany Thanks

9. squad number31player namebaric

10. squad number14player namekent

11. squad number2player nametavern

12. squad number23player nameWright

13. squad number1player nameMcGregor

14. squad number20player nameMorelos

lineups

mother well

formation 4-2-3-1

1Kelly

16McGinnfifteenJohansen4lama24penny

8thslate27God

23Morris26Tierney17McKintry

9by Veen

• 1Kelly
• 16McGinn
• fifteenJohansen
• 4lamaReplaced byDo not beat 58′protocol
• 24penny
• 8thslateReplaced byCorneliusat 89′protocol90 minutes booked
• 27God45 minutes booked
• 23Morris
• 26Tierney
• 17McKintry
• 9by VeenBooked at 55 minutes

substitute

• 2O’Donnell
• 5Do not be
• 6Maguire
• 13Oxborough
• 18Cornelius
• 38miller
• 47Horse
• 49ferries

ranger

formation 4-2-3-1

1McGregor

2tavern38king26davies31baric

37Arfeld4Lundstram

17Many Thanks71tillmann14kent

9coke

• 1McGregor
• 2tavernBooked at 75 minutes
• 38kingBooked at 87 minutes
• 26davies
• 31baric
• 37ArfeldBooked at 33 minutesReplaced byDavisat 65′protocol
• 4Lundstram
• 17Many ThanksReplaced byWrightat 65′protocolBooked at 74 minutes
• 71tillman
• 14kent
• 9cokeReplaced byMorelosat 81′protocol

substitute

• 3Yilmaz
• 10Davis
• 19sand
• 20Morelos
• 23Wright
• 29McCann
• 30Sakala
• 33McLaughlin
• 44Divine

Referee: David Dickinson

Number of visitors: 8,498

live text

1. Match ends, Motherwell 1, Rangers 2.

2. Second half ends, Motherwell 1, Rangers 2.

3. Steven Davis (Rangers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

4. Foul by Josh Morris (Motherwell).

5. Dean Cornelius (Motherwell) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

6. Ryan Kent (Rangers) wins a free kick on the left wing.

7. Foul by Dean Cornelius (Motherwell).

8. Substitution, Motherwell. Dean Cornelius replaces Callum Slattery.

9. Leon King (Rangers) is yellow carded for a bad foul.

10. Foul by Leon King (Rangers).

11. Stuart McKinstry (Motherwell) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

12. attempt failed. John Lundstram (Rangers) left footed shot from the center of the box is a bit high. Assisted by Borna Barisic with a cross.

13. attempt failed. Stuart McKinstry (Motherwell) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left from a direct free kick.

14. Foul by Steven Davis (Rangers).

15. Sean Goss (Motherwell) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

16. Offside Motherwell. Sondre Johansen tries a through ball, but Bevis Mugabe is caught offside.

17. Substitution Rangers. Alfredo Morelos replaces Antonio Mirko Colak.

18. Corner, Motherwell. Cashed in by Scott Wright.

19. Foul by Malik Tillman (Rangers).

20. Callum Slattery (Motherwell) wins a free kick on the right wing.