Dan Caseyâs beautiful second-half aim gave Motherwell a shock 2-1 win over Rangers at Ibrox and handed the initiative within the cinch Premiership title race again to Celtic.
Stuart Kettlewellâs aspect silenced most of Ibrox within the ninth minute with a aim from striker Theo Bair which left the Gentle Blues struggling to learn an sudden script.
Gers skipper James Tavernier scored from the spot on the hour after the VAR had intervened however Irish defender Casey restored the visitorsâ lead with a close-range end within the 74th minute for the primary Properly win within the league in Govan since 1997.
It was a primary defeat in 12 video games in all competitions for Philippe Clementâs aspect and though they continue to be two factors away from their Outdated Agency rival on the high of the desk, Celtic get the prospect to leapfrog them towards Hearts at Tynecastle on Sunday.
Clementâs aspect had fought again to beat Kilmarnock 2-1 at Rugby Park on Wednesday night time, which stored them forward of the Hoops and it was extensively believed that three extra factors could be garnered towards the Steelmen.
Ridvan Yilmaz, Nico Raskin, Dujon Sterling and Cyriel Dessers got here again in to the workforce amid the same old rotation.
Motherwell, with defender Shane Blaney and on-loan Blackburn striker Jack Vale returning, arrived in eighth place recent from a 3-1 win at backside aspect Livingston.
The guests had the primary likelihood when defender Bevis Mugabi headed a Blair Spittal nook over the bar however they didn’t miss the second. Vale acquired previous defender John Souttar and reduce the ball again for Bair to steer the ball previous goalkeeper Jack Butland and in off the publish for his sixth aim in 9 video games.
Dessers headed a Yilmaz previous the publish and Properly keeper Liam Kelly punched a dipping shot from Mohamed Diomande previous the publish for a nook earlier than Kelly made a fair higher save from Yilmazâs swerving shot from distance.
The visitors in the direction of the Motherwell aim was busy however within the thirty fifth minute Spittal had a good effort saved by Butland, earlier than winger Ross McCausland was changed by Fabio Silva after failing to shake off the results of a crunching Casey sort out.
Silva weakly knocked an extended go from Connor Goldson into the arms of a grateful Kelly and Rangersâ greatest likelihood of the first-half was gone.
Tom Lawrence changed Raskin for the beginning of the second half and inside two minutes Dessers had the ball within the Properly web from a yard out however the flag was up for an infringement as a clutch of gamers contested a excessive ball.
Quickly after Spittalâs flick hit the crossbar on the different finish, the Govan aspect have been stage.
There was an extended VAR examine for a penalty when Motherwell right-back Stephen OâDonnell tackled Silva contained in the field and when referee Alan Muir checked his pitchside monitor and pointed to the spot, Tavernier smashed the ball excessive previous Kelly for his twenty first aim of the season.
The house followers roared Rangers on for a winner and Sterling missed the goal when arrange by John Lundstram.
Nevertheless, sprightly Motherwell retained greater than a touch of hazard.
Bair acquired previous Goldson to spring a Motherwell break however hit his go straight at Souttar, though Casey made no mistake when he headed in Spittalâs deep cross to the again publish.
Rangers threw the whole lot ahead within the closing levels.
Kelly made good saves from Lundstram and Yilmaz and Goldson twice missed the goal with headers from six yards and Properly defender Paul McGinn cleared off the road.
However Caseyâs aim was a blow from which Rangers didn’t get better they usually might want to dig deep once they play the primary leg of their Europa League last-16 tie towards Benfica in Lisbon on Thursday night time.
