Report as Ianis Hagi’s 33rd-minute effort helps Rangers beats Hibs 1-0 on Boxing Day; Steven Gerrard’s side remain unbeaten in this season’s Scottish Premiership
Football journalist –
@Richiereds1976
Saturday 26 December 2020 15:21, UK
Ianis Hagi’s first-half strike saw Rangers maintain their unbeaten league run this season after edging past Hibernian 1-0 on Boxing Day as Steven Gerrard’s side extended their lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership with a 10th straight league win at Ibrox.
Hagi finished off a brilliant move involving Glen Kamara, Joe Aribo and Kemar Roofe with his third goal in as many games for Rangers, who held on to move 19 points clear of Celtic ahead of their trip to Hamilton later on Saturday afternoon.
However, Steven Gerrard’s side have played four more matches than the champions, while Hibs stay third in the table.
Player ratings
Rangers: McGregor (6), Tavernier (8), Goldson (7), Balogun (7), Barisic (6), Aribo (8), Davis (6), Kamara (7), Hagi (7), Roofe (6), Kent (6)
Subs: Zungu (6), Morelos (6), Arfield (6)
Hibs: Barnes (9), P. McGinn (8), Porteous (8), Hanlon (7), Doig (8), Boyle (7), Gogic (7), Newell (7), Hallberg (6), Wright (6), Nisbet (6)
Subs: Gullan (6)
Man of the match: Dillon Barnes
How Rangers stayed unbeaten
Hibs arrived in Glasgow as the last team to take points off the runaway leaders and the visitors very nearly opened the scoring after just 55 seconds. Josh Doig’s cross fund the unmarked Martin Boyle at the far post but he fluffed his lines.
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The hosts took time to settle into their work, first going close when the returning Leon Balogun saw his effort cleared off the line by Paul McGinn, before making the breakthrough 12 minutes before half-time.
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Kamara, Aribo and Roofe worked the ball nicely down the left, before the latter’s centre was swept home from six yards out by Hagi as Rangers’ pressure finally told.
In reality, Rangers would have won more comfortably had it not been for an impressive display in goal by Dillon Barnes, who did brilliantly to keep out Connor Goldson’s close-range header before the break.
Team news
Rangers boss Steven Gerrard made just the one change from the side which won 3-0 at St Johnstone on Wednesday, with Leon Balogun coming in for Fil Helander, who dropped to the bench.
As for the visitors, Dillon Barnes started in goal, while Christian Doidge was suspended.
The ‘keeper, one of four changes made by Hibs boss Jack Ross, did even better midway through the second period when again showing impressive reflexes to thwart Balogun after another corner fell invitingly for a Rangers defender.
As a result of those stops, the hosts endured a tense finale, but hung on to as they recorded a 16th clean sheet in 20 top-flight encounters this season.
Steven Gerrard's @RangersFC:
๐ญ๐ฎ ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐ ๐๐ถ๐ป๐
๐๐ฆ๐ด๐ต ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฏ ๐ด๐ช๐ฏ๐ค๐ฆ 2008
๐ญ๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐น๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฒ๐๐ & ๐ฑ ๐ด๐ผ๐ฎ๐น๐ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฑ
๐๐ฆ๐ด๐ต ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ต๐ถ๐ณ๐ฏ๐ด ๐ข๐ง๐ต๐ฆ๐ณ 20 ๐จ๐ข๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ด ๐ช๐ฏ ๐ข๐ฏ๐บ ๐ญ๐ฆ๐ข๐จ๐ถ๐ฆ ๐ด๐ฆ๐ข๐ด๐ฐ๐ฏ
๐ญ๐ต ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ ๐ฐ๐น๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ
๐๐๐ pic.twitter.com/QBuzypgo5E
What’s next?
Rangers travel to St Mirren (3pm) on Wednesday December 30, while Hibs entertain Ross County (6pm) later that day.
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