Ten-man Rangers win at Motherwell

Rangers captain James Tavernier scored his 80th goal for the club as they beat Motherwell 3-1 to keep their Scottish Premiership title hopes alive despite Leon Balogun’s first-half red card.

Motherwell goalkeeper Liam Kelly bundled the ball into his own net to give Rangers an early lead at Fir Park.

The visitors were then reduced to 10 men before the half-hour mark when Balogun was shown a straight red card for a poor challenge on Dean Cornelius.

Ross Tierney, starting in place of the suspended Kevin van Veen, headed in the equaliser for Well before half-time.

But Scott Wright fired Rangers back in front before Tavernier made it 3-1 from the penalty spot after Bevis Mugabi had brought down Fashion Sakala in the box.

The win moves Rangers to within three points of leaders Celtic ahead of their game against Ross County on Sunday, while Motherwell have still won just one game in 2022.

The focus now turns to the Europa League semi-final first leg in Germany against RB Leipzig where Rangers boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst will have to come up with a plan which again does not include several of his key players.

Kemar Roofe has joined fellow striker Alfredo Morelos on the sidelines due to a knee injury and midfielder Aaron Ramsey was also out with a hamstring complaint as Van Bronckhorst made eight changes from the side which started the 2-1 Scottish Cup semi-final win over Celtic last week.

Only Tavernier and fellow defenders Connor Goldson and Borna Barisic kept their places as the visitors started with a front three of Wright, Sakala and on-loan Manchester United winger Amad Diallo.

Graham Alexander’s side showed two changes with Tierney and Juhani Ojala in for Van Veen and defender Solholm Johansen.

The first chance came for Rangers in the 11th minute and it should have resulted in a goal.

Sakala penetrated the Well defence and squared for Diallo 12 yards from goal but his shot was saved by Motherwell skipper Kelly for a corner.

The Steelmen defended the first delivery for another corner which Diallo and Tavernier worked short.

The Gers captain crossed to the back post where Goldson’s header was parried up into the air by Kelly and the ball was on its way over the line, with Wright there to make sure under pressure from Callum Slattery.

Minutes later, Gers ‘keeper Allan McGregor saved a long-range effort from Slattery but the resulting corner came to nothing.

At the other end, Tavernier skimmed the far post with a drive from the edge of the box.

Then Balogun was sent packing for his overly-robust tackle on Cornelius on the touchline, with Calvin Bassey immediately replacing the luckless Diallo.

More trouble came for Rangers soon afterwards when a mistake by Bassey was eventually punished by Tierney when he headed in from eight yards from a Jake Carroll cross from deep on the left.

Momentum had swung towards the home side by the interval but it changed early in the second half when Sakala drove at the Motherwell defence and laid the ball off to Wright to drive low past Kelly from the edge of the box.

Sakala’s direct running helped Rangers score a third goal.

Referee Nick Walsh pointed to the spot when Well defender Mugabi brought down the Zambia international in the box and Tavernier sent Kelly the wrong way with the spot-kick to give the Govan side some breathing space.

Kelly made a save from Sakala in an 82nd-minute breakaway to deny the visitors a fourth goal.

What’s next?

Rangers go to Germany on Thursday for the first leg of their Europa League semi-final against RB Leipzig; kick-off 8pm. Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side then face Scottish Premiership leaders Celtic in the final Old Firm of the season at Parkhead on Sunday, May 1, live on Sky Sports; kick-off 12pm. The second leg against RB Leipzig at Ibrox is on Thursday, May 5; kick-off 8pm.

Next up for Motherwell is a trip to Dundee United on Saturday, April 30; kick-off 3pm.