Rangers’ hopes of closing the gap on Scottish Premiership leaders Celtic took a hit as Marley Watkins’ late goal secured Kilmarnock a 1-0 victory at Rugby Park. The defeat leaves Rangers six points behind Celtic and sparked frustration among the visiting fans, who held up banners protesting the “mismanagement” of the club.
Despite dominating possession, Rangers struggled to create clear scoring chances throughout the match. Cyriel Dessers came closest in the second half, hitting the crossbar with a long-range effort. Rangers’ fans grew restless, voicing their displeasure as the team’s disjointed performance continued.
Kilmarnock made their breakthrough in the 87th minute when Watkins capitalized on a lapse in the Rangers defense, calmly finishing past goalkeeper Jack Butland. The win marked Kilmarnock’s first home victory of the season, while Rangers were booed off the field by their own supporters.
Rangers manager Philippe Clement offered no excuses for the defeat, acknowledging his team’s poor performance. “We need to be better, and we need to focus on ourselves,” Clement said. “The second half was an improvement, but it wasn’t enough.”
Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes praised his side’s resilience, highlighting their belief that they could win. “We didn’t settle for a draw, and the players showed tremendous mental strength,” McInnes remarked.
With Rangers’ title chances fading, they face a crucial Europa League match against Romanian side FCSB on Thursday, but the pressure is mounting as they struggle to find form in domestic competition.
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