It was a frustrating night for Jo Potter’s side who were unable to find a way back into the match as the visitors took all three points in what was a crucial match at the top of the table.
From the weekend’s Scottish Cup semi-final victory over Aberdeen, Potter named seven changes to her side. Jenna Fife came back into the starting line-up in goal, with Leah Eddie and Kathryn Hill returning to the defence alongside captain Nicola Docherty.
Brogan Hay, Chelsea Cornet, Camille Lafaix and Jodi McLeary also returned, with Kirsty Maclean retaining her position in midfield. Rio Hardy and Katie Wilkinson completed the line-up.
It was a good start for Rangers, and there was a big chance inside the opening five minutes as the woodwork denied Camille Lafaix an early opener.
The move came from pressure from Rio Hardy on the Glasgow City defence, and she won it back inside the box with Katie Wilkinson laying it into the path of Lafaix. It was a fine right-footing curling effort from the American, but it rattled the crossbar before the danger was cleared.
At the other end, Nicola Docherty came up with a crucial tackle to deny Brenna Lovera a close-range strike after a dangerous ball into the box from Aleigh Gambone.
Both sides saw some big chances in the opening 15 minutes, and Glasgow City would’ve felt they should’ve had the breakthrough after hitting Rangers on the break. A quick goal-kick released Sofia Matta down the left and she delivered a ball into the box in search of Emily Whelan, but could only turn it behind at the back post.
The visitors appeared to be growing into the game at Ibrox and carved open another huge opportunity with 30 minutes played. It again came down the left, with Brenna Lovera delivering a ball into the box. Emily Whelan got her head on it to flick it into the path of Katie Lockwood who was staring at an empty goal just a few yards from goal, but the forward couldn’t keep it down as the ball went high of the target.
Glasgow City were awarded a penalty shortly after as Whelan fed a ball through to Brenna Lovera, with Jenna Fife coming out in an attempt to retrieve the ball but the goalkeeper caught the striker and brought her down inside the box.
It was Lovera who stepped-up to the spot herself, and she made no mistake in sending the penalty low into the back of the net to give her side the lead with 39 minutes played.
The visitors started the second-half as they ended the first as they almost doubled their scoring through Katie Lockwood. Lovera was again causing problems, as she got the better of Kathryn Hill down the left to drive into the box.
Her delivery was touched away by Nicola Docherty, but fell for Lockwood, who released a strike towards goal which looped just over the bar.
Katie Wilkinson came close as the ball fell to the striker inside the box as Rangers searched for a crucial equaliser in this game, but it was just inches high of the target.
With 64 minutes played, Potter turned to her bench for the first time of the evening as she freshened up the attack for the final 25 minutes. Kirsty Howat and Laura Berry were the players introduced in place of Katie Wilkinson and Laura Berry.
Howat had her first chance after a good bit of build-up play from Rangers. The striker combined with Jodi McLeary in a lovely one-two, but the final effort from Howat from inside the area was straight at Lee Gibson and was gathered comfortably by the Glasgow City goalkeeper.
A triple change followed for the Light Blues, with just over 10 minutes remaining. Laura Rafferty, Tess Middag and Mia McAulay all entered the match in place of Leah Eddie, Brogan Hay and Camille Lafaix.
Rangers were struggling to carve out a late opportunity, but with five minutes added time at Ibrox, they knew there was still time to rescue something from the match.However, the added time drifted away from Potter’s side as Lovera’s first-half penalty proved to be the difference at Ibrox.
RANGERS: Fife, Docherty, Eddie (Rafferty, 78), Hill, Hay (McAulay, 78), Hardy (Berry, 64), Cornet, Lafaix (Middag, 78), Maclean, McLeary, Wilkinson (Howat, 64).
Subs: Esson, Ross, Arnot, Cruft
Glasgow City: Gibson, Lauder (Muir, 78), Walsh, Lockwood (Motlhalo 65), Lovera (Forrest, 89), Whelan (Kozlova, 65), Gambone, Evans, Smit, Maatta (Fulton, 78), Van Diemen.
Subs: Easdon, Love, Wrobel, Anderson, Forrest.
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