Rangers secured a vital 1-0 victory against Aberdeen at Pittodrie, a result that eases the mounting pressure on manager Derek McInnes. Lawrence Shankland's second-half penalty proved decisive in a match where Rangers displayed a renewed sense of passion and determination after a disappointing loss in their previous European outing.
The win marks Rangers' first league victory of the campaign and offers a degree of respite for McInnes, whose popularity had been waning amid the team's sluggish start. The team's performance showed marked improvement in their work off the ball, a key area of focus for the manager.
New signing Kim Min-su was handed his debut and showed flashes of promise, demonstrating an unwillingness to shy away from shooting. Other new additions, including Shankland, Cammy Devlin, and Findlay Curtis, were also introduced as Rangers aimed to rebound from their European exit. Notably, Nico Raskin did not feature on the bench.
Aberdeen began the match with intent, but Rangers gradually settled, with Kim Min-su looking lively. Djeidi Gassama's pace on the counter-attack created opportunities, and an Afeez Aremu goal-line clearance prevented Shankland from scoring early on. Shankland was then denied again by a Marius Muller save from a header.
The match saw a high number of bookings, with referee Matthew MacDermid cautioning six Aberdeen players and three for Rangers. Both sides had periods of pressure, but clear-cut chances were scarce for the home team, who struggled with possession and delivery into the box.
Aberdeen introduced Stuart Armstrong at halftime, and he fired a shot just wide in the opening seconds of the second half. However, a defensive lapse from Aberdeen led to the decisive penalty. Nesta Guinness-Walker's misplaced pass allowed Gassama to win a penalty after he was fouled by Happe.
Shankland confidently converted the penalty, placing it into the top corner. Aberdeen pushed for an equalizer, and Kevin Nisbet appeared to have found the net late in the game. However, the goal was disallowed after VAR intervention identified a push on Dujon Sterling by Nisbet in the build-up.
