The defeat to SK Brann on Thursday night was a reality check and a harsh lesson for Danny Rohl as the scale of the job at Ibrox was laid bare. This victory over Kilmarnock on his home debut as head coach will be just as enlightening and offer reasons to be encouraged.
Rangers took the lead after 15 minutes as Derek Cornelius headed home a James Tavernier free-kick. The advantage didn't last, though, as George Stanger capitalised on a howler from Jack Butland to pull Stuart Kettlewell's side level.
Bojan Miovski saw his effort ruled out after a VAR check. It didn't cost Rangers in the end. This victory - just their second in the league - could have been even more comfortable.
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Danilo made it 2-1 early in the second half and Youssef Chermiti came off the bench to score his first goal for the club. The offside flag denied Nico Raskin the fourth of the afternoon in the closing stages.
A small step in the right direction
It would have been natural for Rangers to have had one eye on events at Tynecastle while they finalised their preparations for this Ibrox fixture. The fortunes of Celtic must always be kept in mind, but the efforts of Hearts are just as important to note right now. The deficit to the league leaders stands at 13 points. The gap across Glasgow is now just five.
Victory over Hibernian in midweek would move Rangers above David Gray’s side. A win over Celtic next Sunday would put them within 90 minutes of the first silverware of the season. It is a double-header that offers huge opportunities for Rohl and the German will be well aware of how the mood around the club and the support could change for the better if he can follow up on this win with two more inside seven days.
The Premiership title still looks like a long shot for Rangers. The comfort blanket is that Hearts will likely stumble at some stage. They will. If the blip lasts a couple of games, Rangers won’t be able to catch them. If it last several weeks, that could open the door. On form, third looks like the best that Rohl can achieve but he will not be thinking in those terms.
It is hard to back a team that have won just two from nine in the league to be challengers, never mind champions. The resources that Rohl has inherited do not look capable of the sort of run that would be required to even allow supporters to dare to dream. Nobody, and certainly not the head coach, will be getting carried away here. Rohl will have learned much in his first week. His second week is where he can really get off and running.
Rohl on the charm offensive
The new head coach has struck the right tone on and off the park in recent days. Rohl has spoken with authority and understanding, while his gestures before and after the match in Bergen were appreciated by the supporters. He would not have been the first pick for many of them, but the details are important for Rohl and have been recognised by the fans.
He will, of course, be judged on results first and foremost. The affable German has earned some points by acknowledging the club tradition of wearing a suit and has impressed those around Ibrox with his willingness to take on board information, as well as not being afraid to ask questions as he looks to gain as much insight into the club as quickly as possible.
Representatives from Rangers, Kilmarnock, the Armed Forces and charities at the Remembrance Service John Greig Statue pic.twitter.com/ywPRbvW1X7
— Chris Jack (@Chris_Jack89) October 26, 2025
Rohl joined the Rangers delegation – and representatives from Kilmarnock, the Armed Forces and charities - for the service of Remembrance 90 minutes before kick-off. An hour later, he spent time shaking hands and taking pictures with fans in the Enclosure. On Thursday night, he spoke to a group of fans at the airport after they had vented at Patrick Stewart and Kevin Thelwell.
The Ibrox PA system played ‘Daddy Cool’ pre-match. Ten minutes in, the Union Bears chanted Rohl’s name to the same tune that could become a regular part of the playlist if the 36-year-old can transform the fortunes of this team. Before that, a tribute was paid to a man that no other boss will ever emulate as a chorus of ‘Walter Smith’s blue and white army’ remembered the Ibrox legend on the fourth anniversary of his passing.
There were no boos on the whistle this time, no hurls of abuse towards those on the park or in the executive corridors. Rohl applauded the home crowd and thanked them for their backing. His first impressions have been positive ones.
Signs of improvement and potential recovery
Rangers had the ignominy of being the only Premiership team yet to record a home win before kick-off. The response to Russell Martin’s sacking was not what Rangers needed last weekend against Dundee United, and neither was the one to Rohl’s appointment on Thursday evening.
The start here was more positive, though. One of the areas of improvement that Rohl has targeted has been the speed at which Rangers attack. The hosts attempted to turn Killie at every chance and get in behind them. When the ball stopped or was out of play, it was recycled quickly.
A quarter of an hour in, Rohl’s side had the lead. Tavernier’s free-kick from the left was dinked in behind the Killie defence and Cornelius had all the time and space he could have wished for. He nodded beyond Edward Beach and Rangers were off and running, as was the Canadian as he celebrated his first goal for the club.
He almost had a hand in the second as Rangers sought to regain the lead. Beach cannoned a clearance off the defender and Bojan Miovski capitalised by heading in from six yards. A VAR check denied Rangers their goal and saved Beach’s blushes.
The keeper could not save a Danilo header five minutes after the interval. Jayden Meghoma was an influential presence on the left in the first period and he got his reward with an assist.
The winner came from Chermiti. Again, Beach had to look at himself and say he should have done better as he failed to deal with a powerful strike. The Portuguese made a talking gesture with his hands as he celebrated before throwing his arms aloft to cajole the crown.
Killie can have no complaints
The first goal was scored by Rangers, but it was Kilmarnock who had the first chances. Both were good ones, too. A drive from Marcus Dackers required a second attempt to gather for Jack Butland, before the keeper saved from Greg Kiltie after the visitors worked the ball inside the area.
Kiltie was involved again a few minutes later as Killie attempted to recover from the loss of the opening goal. The winger did well down the right and picked out Dominic Thompson on the opposite flank. The connection on his strike was sweet enough, but the direction was wayward, and the ball was fired back across the area rather than towards Butland’s goal.
Killie could not be faulted for their endeavour. When they got their break, Butland was to blame. The keeper completely missed a Kiltie corner and Stanger converted into an empty net to leave Ibrox stunned.
Butland made amends for his blunder just minutes after Rangers had regained the lead. David Watson provided the cross and a Bruce Anderson header looked set to find the bottom corner of the net. Butland got down smartly to his right to somehow keep it out. It was the moment that ended Killie’s hopes of a comeback.
Rohl gets the big decisions right
The schedule in Rohl’s first week in the job did not leave much time to work on the training ground. His second week is not exactly filled with opportunities, either. Yet the couple of days between the defeat in Bergen and his Ibrox debut were spent tweaking the tactical approach as Rangers switched to a back three. At this stage, it was a case of nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Tavernier, John Souttar and Cornelius were the defensive trio. Ahead of them, Djeidi Gassama moved from the left to the right, Meghoma moved up a line and Nico Raskin partnered the returning Mohamed Diomande and Thelo Aasgaard. Danilo made his first start since that night in Bruges and was joined by Miovski.
At the break, it was the North Macedonian that made way as Mikey Moore was introduced. The right side had not been as effective as the left in the first half, and Miovski had not been the link presence that Rangers needed. Moore added pace and the decision to stick with Danilo paid off within minutes.
Diomande was replaced by Connor Barron on the hour, at the same time as Gassama was withdrawn and Max Aarons took the right wing-back slot. Chermiti was given the final 20 minutes and marked it with a goal. This was an afternoon where Rohl got the big calls right, both from the start and from the bench. That is a welcome change this term.
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