Brann Bergen 3 (Kornvig 40, Sorensen 55, Holm 79) Rangers 0
Attendance 15,800
Rangers slumped to a heavy 0-3 defeat at the hands of Brann Bergen on Thursday evening in Danny Rohl’s debut in the hot seat – a defeat that leaves the Ibrox men joint bottom of the Europa League following a third consecutive defeat – coincidentally Rangers’ first-ever competitive defeat in Norway.
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Rohl made two changes from Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Dundee United for his first game in charge with Nasser Djiga and Youssef Chermiti coming in for Derek Cornelius and Bojan Miovski.
Rangers – wearing blue tops, black shorts and black socks – kicked off in the compact Stadion Brann amidst a crackling atmosphere, and for the benefit of traditionalists, the new man in the dugout was wearing a suit.
It was the Ibrox men who carved out the first real opening of the evening when from a James Tavernier corner the ball broke to Nico Raskin whose shot was blocked.
The Norwegians were attacking down both flanks – perhaps indicating that they perceived a weakness in the visitors’ defence in those areas – but it was from a dead-ball situation that the home side came close on the quarter-hour mark when Eivind Helland’s header from a Bard Finne corner was inches wide, then sixty seconds later Jack Butland made a point-blank save from an Ulrik Mathisen header.
Rangers survived – and indeed should have had the lead just before the half-hour mark when from a James Tavernier opening Thelo Aasgaard could not even make contact with the ball.
Two minutes later from a Joe Rothwell cross Youssef Chermiti saw his weak header comfortably held by home ‘keeper Mathias Dyngeland.
To think that people used to criticise Cyriel Dessers…!
Brann kept pouring forward – and a stunning thirty-yard volley from Vetle Dragsnes was just
wide of the target on 35 minutes.
The opening goal finally arrived five minutes later when Bard Finne broke free on the left – his initial shot was blocked but the ball was turned home by Emil Kornvig.
Rangers were perhaps fortunate to be trailing by just the one goal at the interval – but ten minutes after the restart it was 2-0 when from a Finne free-kick Jacob Sorensen rose completely unchallenged to head home.
It was a truly shocking goal to concede – a free header from a dead ball situation – and somehow it was one that completely sums up the defensive shambles that the Ibrox men have become.
Danny Rohl immediately brought on his first substitute with Mikey Moore replacing Oliver Antman.
Moore almost made a quick impact – firing over from a Jayden Meghoma cross on the hour.
Four minutes later Connor Barron and Bojan Miovski were introduced for Rothwell and Aasgaard with the latter being a great disappointment on his return to his homeland. Two further changes saw Cornelius and Danilo introduced for the injured Djiga and the ineffective Youssef Chermiti.
There was no way back for Rangers however – and in the 79th minute yet another defensive lapse saw Noah Holm totally unmarked as he fired home from a Finne cross.
At the final whistle the ‘Gers players were roundly booed by the travelling fans as they left the pitch – but Danny Rohl received a much friendlier reception when he went over to speak to them.
Brann Bergen: Dyngeland; De Roeve (Hansen 77), Knudsen, Helland, Dragsnes; Kornvig, Sorensen (Sande 77), Guomundsson; Mathisen (Pedersen 68), Holm (Remmem 68), Finne (Haaland 68)
Unused Subs: Bramel, Klausen, Boakye, Sery Larsen, Soltvedt
Rangers: Butland; Tavernier, Souttar Djiga, Meghoma; Antman, Aasgaard, Rothwell, Raskin, Gassama; Youssef Chermiti
Unused Subs: Kelly, Aarons, Cameron, Fernandez, Rice, Curtis, McCallion
Referee: Vasileios Fotias (Greece)
By Robert McElroy
