Rangers staged a remarkable comeback to secure a 4-2 victory over Kilmarnock, marking a triumphant start for Barry Ferguson in his first match as interim manager. The Scottish Premiership clash unfolded dramatically at Rugby Park, with the home side initially taking a commanding lead. Joe Wright and Brad Lyons scored early goals for Kilmarnock within the opening 14 minutes, putting Rangers in a challenging position.
However, Ferguson's tactical acumen shone through as he orchestrated a turnaround that saw Rangers score four unanswered goals. Vaclav Cerny initiated the comeback with a crucial goal in the 35th minute, reducing the deficit before halftime. The second half belonged to Cyriel Dessers, who netted twice in quick succession at the 53rd and 62nd minutes. Nedim Bajrami sealed the victory with a fourth goal in the 85th minute, capping off a dramatic start to Ferguson's tenure.
The match tested Ferguson's ability to reconnect Rangers with their supporters and lift the overall mood of the team. Despite trailing by 13 points to rivals Celtic before the match, Rangers demonstrated resilience and determination to close the gap in the league standings. Ferguson's decision to substitute Ridvan Yilmaz for Clinton Nsiala proved pivotal in turning the tide, earning praise from pundits.
"I'm not going to get carried away, it's only one game. They now need to take that into Saturday because they're at home and if it's like after 10 minutes the crowd start to get on you a wee touch." – Barry Ferguson
Ferguson remained grounded in his post-match comments, urging his players not to get over-excited and emphasizing the importance of maintaining momentum. He highlighted the team's need to adapt to pressure situations, reflecting on his experience with them over the past 24 hours.
"They need to learn to deal with these situations. Spending the last 24 hours with them, I think they realise that situation now." – Barry Ferguson
Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes expressed disappointment over his team's inability to maintain their early lead. Despite unsettling Rangers initially, McInnes felt his side became overly excitable and failed to react well when the scores were leveled.
"I just thought we became a bit excitable in the game. We did everything I was hoping we would do in the first period that first 35 minutes. I loved the personality. I love the aggression of the team. I loved how we played the game. We took on an instruction. We unsettled Rangers and we made it the type of game that needed to be. But I just feel we get caught up in the game a bit and we've got a bit excitable. I don't think we reacted well at 2-2. Rangers sniffed blood. We have to learn from that but we gave it a go. Some bad decisions and defending allowed us to come away with nothing." – Derek McInnes
Former Rangers captain Steven Davis lauded Ferguson's leadership and applauded the team's response after a challenging first half-hour.
"Absolutely brilliant, I think the first half an hour he'd [Ferguson] be really disappointed with but certainly after that there was a great reaction from the team. They'll be absolutely delighted to get the win. It's no easy feat coming from two goals behind here at Kilmarnock, so he'll go home a happy man." – Steven Davis
Analyst Kris Boyd also commended Ferguson's strategic changes that brought about the team's resurgence.
"and then all of a sudden, it turns out it's the same problems that Rangers have faced all season. You've got to give credit to the players that Barry Ferguson obviously made the substitution, brought on Yilmaz, moved a few players around and then you've seen Rangers click and get a good goal just before half-time." – Kris Boyd
The victory over Kilmarnock holds significant implications for Rangers as they aim to rebuild confidence and challenge Celtic's dominance in the league. For Kilmarnock, currently placed 10th in the Scottish Premiership table before this match, it was a lesson in maintaining composure under pressure.
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