By Craig Rae
Rangers picked up their first points of the new season as they romped Livingston to a 4-0 win in Saturday’s Scottish Premiership clash at Ibrox.
There were four different goal scorers, all who were scoring their first goals for the club in what has turned out to be a big day for Michael Beale and his new signings.
Michael Beale made two changes from Wednesday’s 2-1 win over Servette in Champions League qualifying as Leon Balogun came in for the rested Connor Goldson and Jose Cifuentes made his full Ibrox debut, replacing the also rested Ryan Jack.
Rangers started with a fast tempo, like that of Wednesday and it was an early lead that Rangers took once again as Sam Lammers fired high into the net after a Todd Cantwell shot was parried by George.
Jose Cifuentes was denied from making the perfect start to his Ibrox career as he capitalised on a break in the box from a corner to make it 2-0, however he was adjudged to have handled the ball after a quick VAR check and the score remained at 1-0.
Livingston continued to play their usual, dogged and determined style to try and stifle Rangers and for the most part it worked, with Rangers creating little between the disallowed goal and the end of the first half.
Cyriel Dessers coming close on the stroke of half time was about as good as it got for Rangers, after his header went over the bar meaning Rangers went in 1-0 up at half time.
Rangers started the second half brightly and Sam Lammers came close to doubling his goal tally, but his header also went over the bar after a Borna Barisic delivery.
Livingston were always going to be in the game at 1-0 and almost equalised themselves after a slack pass from Nico Raskin allowed Shinnie to take the ball and fizz it towards Butland who tipped it beyond the post.
Rangers continued to pile on the pressure and were eventually rewarded for their urgency with the second as the Brazilian Danilo scored his first ever Rangers goal after heading in from a wicked Barisic delivery on the 80th minute.
The points were sealed shortly after when Abdallah Sima got in on the action, the forward has had mixed reviews from his start at Ibrox but was on hand to tap the ball in after Danilo’s effort rebounded off the post.
Kieran Dowell wrapped up the game in terrific fashion as he rounded off a terrific move that he started by rocketing the ball into back of the net after being slipped through from Sima.
Up next, a trip to Switzerland to play Servette before a League Cup tie against Morton at Ibrox.
Rangers: Butland, Tavernier, Souttar, Dessers (Sima), Cantwell, Lammers (Matondo), Cifuentes, Balogun, Barisic, Raskin, Raskin, Danilo
Livingston: George, Devlin, Obileye, De-Lucas, Brandon, Shinnie, Holt, Montano, Sangare, Nouble, Kelly
Attendance: 49,320
Man of the Match: John Souttar
