RANGERS earned a hard-fought Boxing Day win over Hibs this afternoon thanks to Ianis Hagi’s first-half strike.
The Romanian netted on 33 minutes following some lovely movement in and around the area from Gers to secure another three points for Steven Gerrard’s Gers.
Manager Gerrard named just the one change to his team today - from the side which defeated St Johnstone 3-0 on Wednesday night, Leon Balogun came in for Fil Helander.
That meant it was a back five of Allan McGregor in goal with James Tavernier, Connor Goldson, Balogun and Borna Barisic in front of him.
Steven Davis, Glen Kamara and Joe Aribo were in midfield, while up front, Ianis Hagi and Ryan Kent were joined by Kemar Roofe.
It was Hibs who had the first chance of the game inside the first minute – Josh Doig’s deep cross from the left was met on the stretch by Martin Boyle, but he could only fire wide.
Rangers then took over in-terms of control of the ball, and James Tavernier had a 20-yard free-kick go just over the bar.
Leon Balogun then had an effort cleared off the line by Paul McGinn as Joe Aribo picked him out following a Tavernier short corner.
Goalkeeper Dillon Barnes then made a top block from a Connor Goldson header on the end of a Tavernier corner, while Ianis Hagi did extremely well to work space for a shot in the ‘D’ – his attempt going just wide.
As with the meeting with Motherwell last Saturday, Gers were showing patience, and the breakthrough arrived on 33 minutes – with the movement from the blue shirted players a joy to behold as they worked the space for the shot.
A super one-two between Glen Kamara and Aribo kicked the move off, with Kamara then finding a gap to put Roofe in.
He did well to get by Ryan Porteous and pick out the incoming Hagi, who superbly got in front of Doig to fire beyond Barnes for his fourth of the season.
Into the second half, and Ryan Kent had a shot at the back post charged down after Roofe laid him off, while Balogan had another effort cleared off the line, this time by goalkeeper Barnes following another Tavernier corner.
A combination of Tavernier and Connor Goldson made a fine block on a Boyle effort at the other end, while Borna Barisic had a curling effort go just over for Gers.
Gers brought on Scott Arfield on 76 minutes, but injury meant he lasted just six minutes before being replaced by Bongani Zungu.
Barisic made a super block to deny Kevin Nisbet as a loose corner dropped at his feet inside the area, while sub Alfredo Morelos nearly secured the points in injury-time, only for Barnes to come to the rescue of the visitors.
It’s on now to St Mirren for Gers whom they’ll face on Wednesday afternoon.
RANGERS: McGregor, Tavernier, Goldson, Balogun, Barisic, Aribo, Davis, Kamara, Hagi (Arfield, 76, (Zungu, 82)) Roofe (Morelos, 82), Kent.
SUBS NOT USED: McLaughlin, Bassey, Helander, Defoe, Itten, Barker.
HIBERNIAN: Barnes, Hanlon, Porteous, P McGinn, Wright, Boyle, Newell, Gogic, Nisbet, Hallberg, Doig.
SUBS NOT USED: Samson, Gray, Stevenson, Gullan, S McGinn, Elder, McGregor.
REFEREE: Willie Collum
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