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Roma displayed impressive effectiveness about the way Roma dealt with this trip to Scotland. Without much drama. The team from Italy’s capital did, however, face manageable rivals when placing their Europa League bid on the right path. Observers noted a glaring difference in class between Roma and a Rangers side that has now lost a club record seven continental matches consecutively.

Positively, the home side at least huffed and puffed during a later period when capitulation felt the more likely option. Yet, the game was decided as a competition at that stage. The Scottish club remain rooted to the foot of the tournament, which should represent an disgrace to a club of this standing. The Giallorossi have ambitions once more on making proper impact. One slight disappointment in this match was in not producing a result that truly reflected men against boys.

Surprisingly, this marked only the Roman club’s second-ever continental encounter with a team from Scotland since the historic Fairs Cup business with Hibs in the early 60s. Their last such match, against the Terrors 23 years later, became overshadowed (to put it mildly) by the corruption of a referee. In those days, Scottish clubs could vie with the top sides in Europe. The current campaign has seen the co-efficient drop to a level that will shortly have huge consequences.

Danny Röhl’s main quality up to now as the fanbase are see it is that he is not his predecessor. The latter’s dismal tenure as the manager lasted 123 days in the early part of this season. Röhl, the new man at the helm, has shown promise though within a limited timeframe. The technical areas saw a generation game; Röhl is thirty-six, his opposite number the Roma manager is sixty-seven.

Another element was much more noticeable as the teams lined up. The home team’s glaring short stature against the visitors looked ominous. This point was confirmed within the opening quarter-hour as Bryan Cristante comfortably flicked on a corner at the front post. At the back, the Argentine winger sprinted into space to fire Roma in front. A Roma team without the unavailable their young striker and Paulo Dybala, who have been questioned for lack of cutting edge even with reasonable results in the tournament, were pleased with their early advantage.

The Ibrox side could have levelled matters immediately. Rather, Youssef Chermiti screwed his shot wide after a defensive error in the visitors’ backline. Chermiti’s eight-million-pound signing from Everton has increased scrutiny of the club’s recruitment team. He has at least the physique to be an effective centre forward but seems reluctant or incapable to utilize them fully.

The Italian outfit dominated first-half the ball from that point. They doubled their lead through Lorenzo Pellegrini, whose curling shot into the bottom corner of Jack Butland’s net arrived after a pass from Artem Dovbyk. Rangers will lament the fact the midfielder stood in blissful isolation but it was a superb finish. The stadium, typically a raucous place on continental evenings, had been quietened with time still remaining until halftime. The discontent which greeted the interval were timid; the home team were simply in the midst of being overwhelmed.

The second period began against a curious atmosphere. Those Rangers fans turned their attentions for the latest time towards the top executive, the CEO, and sporting director, Kevin Thelwell. A pair of displays, clearly menacing in tone, showed the duo with targets on their faces. One wonders what the club owner thinks about the situation. After all, the chairman had an anonymous life as a successful businessman in the US before leading a takeover of this club. Fans have not targeted Cavenagh yet but there is a mutinous mood around the club. It is one which is unsurprising; Rangers’ management is completely unconvincing.

Right on cue, the striker was played in on the keeper on the 60-minute mark and hit the outside of the goal. This actually triggered Rangers’ best period of the game, in which their replacement Thelo Aasgaard shot narrowly past the post. It was, however, hard to determine the visitors’ continued offensive intent until Zeki Celik was given a opportunity from close range which he inexplicably hit up and on to the bottom of the crossbar.

That was it as far as meaningful chances were involved. The raft of changes from each side meant this game closed more in the fashion of a summer exhibition than competitive match. That scenario benefited Roma perfectly. There was cause to ponder how exactly Rangers, finalists in this tournament in recently and strong enough of the last eight a season ago, reached the point of making up the numbers.