TWO goals inside three second half minutes brought the three points back to Ibrox as Rangers ran out 2-0 winners over Dundee United at Tannadice in the Scottish Premiership this afternoon.
The Light Blues went in at the interval with much to ponder as the home side stood strong defensively, but they turned the screw early in the second half through quick fire goals from Fashion Jr. and Malik Tillman, making it five victories from the opening six matches under Michael Beale.
The Gers boss named three changes to his side for the trip to Tayside, with Jon McLaughlin, Ryan Jack and Antonio Colak coming into the starting lineup in place of Allan McGregor, Glen Kamara and Alfredo Morelos.
There was early encouragement for the Light Blues on eight minutes when Ryan Kent spun intelligently in midfield, driving towards the Dundee United goal before his goal-bound effort was deflected out for a corner by Scott McMann.
Connor Goldson threatened with a header moments later, drifting into space at the far post from a deep James Tavernier corner, before Antonio Colak tested Mark Birighitti on 11 minutes.
A deft clip in-behind the United backline from Malik Tillman allowed Fashion Jr. to nod the ball down into the Croatian’s path, sending a half volley towards goal from 15 yards out that Birighitti collected comfortably.
The home side sprung into action as the clock ticked past the 20th minute mark. Glenn Middleton centred dangerously for Steven Fletcher from the left, with the United forward sweeping his finish past Jon McLaughlin’s post.
The Gers stopper was called into action again minutes later, palming a threatening Middleton cross away to safety as two United attackers lurked with intent in the danger area.
A promising move down the left from a Gers perspective almost engineered a shooting opportunity for Tillman, with the USA international collecting a pull back from Borna Barisic before he was crowded out by United defenders and his subsequent back heel did not find a Rangers shirt.
Ryan Kent fired over the crossbar six minutes before the interval after a period of sustained possession from the visitors, with Liam Smith going close on the break for United with a curling strike from the edge of the penalty area.
There was a change at the interval for the Gers as Morelos replaced Colak, with the visitors creating their most promising opening of the game until that point four minutes after the restart. Barisic swung a deep delivery towards the back post where Fashion Jr. hared in and met the cross first time, drawing a great reflex stop from Birighitti.
Kent shimmied with intent moments later, leaving one United defender in his wake before chopping the ball onto his right side and curling an effort wide of the far post.
Rangers’ renewed persistence to open the second half was rewarded on 54 minutes with a goal of supreme quality to break the deadlock. Fashion Jr. laid the ball into the path of Barisic before spinning in-behind the United defence, with the Croatian clipping a delightful pass into Jack, breaking forward from midfield, whose deft flick allowed the Zambian to control the ball with his right foot and finish accurately into the far corner with his opposite side from a narrow angle.
The away side certainly had their tails up following the strike and they doubled their advantage just three minutes later. It was another sweeping move that cut United open, with Tavernier driving into the danger area after being released by Jack. The captain picked out Fashion Jr. in a promising area and, when the forward had his effort denied by Birighitti, Tillman collected the rebound and planted an excellent finish into the bottom corner.
Fashion Jr. could have doubled his tally for the afternoon when he collected Kent’s through pass on 70 minutes, but the Zambian could not steer his finish on target.
Gaps were beginning to open in the hosts’ rearguard as they went in search of a goal to reduce the deficit, allowing substitute Scott Arfield to free Morelos whose effort was thwarted by a sliding challenge from McMann.
Morelos attempted a speculative effort as the game entered the final ten minutes, attempting to catch Birighitti off his goal line after turning the United defence.
The referee blew the whistle for full time after two additional minutes, bringing an end to a successful trip for Rangers as attentions now shift towards next weekend’s Viaplay Cup semi-final clash with Aberdeen at Hampden Park.
DUNDEE UNITED: Birighitti, Smith, McMann, Fletcher (Watt, 75), Edwards, Sibbald (Djoum, 67), Middleton (MacLeod, 75), Behich, Levitt (Meekison, 90), Freeman, Harkes
Subs not used: Eriksson, Mulgrew, Graham, Niskanen, Meekison, Happy Anaku
RANGERS: McLaughlin, Tavernier, Goldson, Davies, Barisic (Devine, 90), Lundstram, Jack, Tillman (Roofe, 78), Fashion Jr. (Arfield, 70), Colak, Kent (Wright, 90)
Subs not used: McGregor, Kamara, Sands, Morelos, King
REFEREE: Steven McLean
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