Glasgow Rangers recorded their first Premiership win of the season at the second time of asking this afternoon.
The Light Blues were playing at Hampden Park due to works ongoing at Ibrox, and it didn’t take them long to open the scoring, as Cyriel Dessers netted his second goal of the week following his last gasp equaliser against Dynamo Kyiv on Tuesday.
Motherwell may have equalised due to a Robin Propper own goal on his debut, but fellow new arrival Vaclav Cerny soon restored the lead.
The Czech winger was making his first start for the Gers after two positive substitute appearances, showcasing his class at Hampden.
Vaclav Cerny’s game in numbers vs Motherwell
The on-loan winger provided a stunning assist for Dessers' goal against Kyiv and much was expected of him ahead of his first start.
Deployed on the right flank, Cerny offered a solid attacking threat, culminating with the eventual winner after just 24 minutes.
His distribution was excellent, finishing with a 90% pass success rate, while he also delivered one accurate cross and lost possession just seven times during his spell on the pitch.
Philippe Clement has been desperate to add a high-quality right-winger during the transfer window. In Cerny, the Belgian may have found exactly who he has been looking for.
His performance was impressive, yet it wasn’t as good as that of James Tavernier, who enjoyed a fine return to form after an underwhelming start to the season.
James Tavernier’s statistics vs Motherwell
The captain failed to score or assist during the first two matches of the current season, yet this all changed at Hampden.
The right-back created the winner for Cerny, who slotted a lovely curling shot into the corner of the Motherwell net, while he also made five key passes, created two big chances and managed two shots on target during the clash.
Goals
0
Assists
1
Key passes
5
Big chances created
2
Possession lost
24
Touches
114
Total duels (won)
5 (3)
Defensively, Tavernier won three of his five total duels while making one tackle and three interceptions, yet he lost possession a staggering 24 times during the game.
This was due to his regular bursts forward into the opposition half, but the defender, who managed 114 touches, looked like a more positive player this afternoon compared to his recent performances.
It will surely give him a big confidence boost ahead of the crucial Champions League second-leg clash against Kyiv on Tuesday evening at Hampden.
A similar display to that against Motherwell could give Rangers a boost in their pursuit of group stage football in Europe’s premier competition this season, something which will give the club a major financial injection.
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The game was perhaps closer than anticipated, especially during the second half, but three points are all that matters at this stage, as Clement is still trying to strengthen his team prior to the transfer window closing.
Tavernier returned to form in Glasgow, but he will need to remain consistent over the next few weeks, that’s for sure.