Rangers claimed a 1-0 victory over Motherwell in the Premiership's sixth round at Ibrox on Saturday, extending their unbeaten run to five matches. The result keeps them fourth in the table on ten points, one ahead of the visitors who sit fifth with eight.
The decisive moment arrived early, with Ryan Naderi finding the net in the twelfth minute. It was a tightly contested affair, and the visitors had more possession, but Rangers made their chance count. Min-su Kim came close for the hosts later on, but his penalty attempt in the thirtieth minute was saved.
And here's the thing, we had Rangers winning this one at 58 per cent confidence going into the fixture. It came through, though not without Motherwell pushing back. The visitors ended the match with 59 per cent possession and more attacks, 111 to 86, yet they managed only three shots on target against Rangers' six. To be fair, Rangers created five big chances while Motherwell created none.
The substitutions told a story of managing the game. Motherwell brought on Ibrahim Said just before half-time, then Regan Charles-Cook in the sixty-third minute. Rangers responded with three changes around the seventy-minute mark, bringing on Min-su Kim and Djeidi Gassama, followed by Alex Lowry and Emmanuel Longelo. Emmanuel Fernandez completed the reshuffle for Rangers in stoppage time.
Statistically, the match reflected the scoreline more than the possession figures. Rangers registered 31 aerial duels won compared to Motherwell's 21, and their eight blocked shots showed willingness to put bodies on the line. The visitors' goalkeeper made four saves to Rangers' three, but the difference lay in efficiency rather than volume.
For Rangers, this marks their fifth consecutive unbeaten outing, a sequence built on narrow victories and occasional defeats to continental opposition. Motherwell's recent form has been mixed, including those heavy European losses, but they remain competitive domestically. The gap between them in the standings narrowed to just two points after this result.
