Rangers 1-0 Motherwell: Post-match review, Stats, Key moments

Dive into Ladbrokes’ post-match review of Rangers 1-0 Motherwell in the Premiership on Saturday, 27 December 2025, with stats, key moments and our take on the match.

Rangers won 1-0 against Motherwell. The first half ended goalless, with both sides probing but failing to break the deadlock, though a VAR check involving Nicolas Raskin at 47 minutes added some tension right after the break. Rangers, coming off a mixed run including a recent loss to Hearts but wins over Hibernian and Kilmarnock, gradually built pressure, and it paid off when Thelo Aasgaard scored in the 67th minute to give them the lead.

Motherwell, who had been in decent form with a win over Dundee and draws in their last few outings, pushed for an equaliser but couldn’t convert their slight possession edge into goals. Late substitutions saw Rangers bring on Bojan Miovski for Youssef Chermiti at 77 minutes, followed by a triple change at 87 minutes with Lyall Cameron replacing Thelo Aasgaard, John Souttar for Dujon Sterling, and Findlay Curtis for Djeidi Gassama. Motherwell responded with their own changes, including a triple substitution at 69 minutes where Apostolos Stamatelopoulos came on for Callum Hendry, Stephen O’Donnell for John Koutroumbis, and Callum Slattery for Elijah Just, but yellow cards for both teams in the closing stages disrupted the flow without altering the score.

Motherwell edged possession with 54% compared to Rangers’ 46%, suggesting they controlled more of the ball, but Rangers made better use of their opportunities, as shown by their four corners against Motherwell’s one, indicating more threat in attacking areas. Successful dribbles were almost even at 57 for Rangers and 58 for Motherwell, pointing to a balanced battle in midfield where neither side dominated individual duels.

Both teams used all five substitutions, with Rangers making changes from the 56th minute onwards to freshen up their attack and defence, while Motherwell’s adjustments came mostly around the 69th minute to chase the game. Rangers picked up three yellow cards to Motherwell’s one, reflecting a scrappier second half, but there were no red cards, penalties, injury-time goals, or assists recorded, underlining a tight contest decided by a single moment of quality.

The game’s turning point came in the 67th minute when Thelo Aasgaard scored for Rangers, breaking the deadlock after a VAR review involving Nicolas Raskin early in the second half had kept things tense. Rangers made an early substitution at 56 minutes, with Mikey Moore replacing Mohamed Diomandé, which seemed to inject energy, and later at 77 minutes Bojan Miovski came on for Youssef Chermiti to bolster the forward line.

Motherwell responded with three changes at 69 minutes, bringing on Apostolos Stamatelopoulos for Callum Hendry, Stephen O’Donnell for John Koutroumbis, and Callum Slattery for Elijah Just, but they couldn’t find a way back. Late yellow cards disrupted the rhythm, with Connor Barron booked at 78 minutes and Thelo Aasgaard at 80 minutes for Rangers, followed by Paul McGinn at 86 minutes for Motherwell, while Rangers’ triple substitution at 87 minutes—Lyall Cameron for Thelo Aasgaard, John Souttar for Dujon Sterling, and Findlay Curtis for Djeidi Gassama—helped them see out the win, despite John Souttar’s yellow at 90 minutes.

Rangers lined up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with a solid defensive base allowing players like Nicolas Raskin to influence midfield, while Thelo Aasgaard provided the attacking spark by scoring the winner before being replaced by Lyall Cameron late on. Partnerships in the middle, including Connor Barron who picked up a yellow card, helped maintain control, and substitutions like Mikey Moore for Mohamed Diomandé and Bojan Miovski for Youssef Chermiti added fresh legs in key areas.

Motherwell set up in a 4-2-3-1 shape, focusing on a compact midfield where players like Paul McGinn, who earned a late yellow card, anchored the defence. Substitutions brought energy, with Apostolos Stamatelopoulos replacing Callum Hendry up front and Callum Slattery coming on for Elijah Just to push forward, while Stephen O’Donnell took over from John Koutroumbis at the back to maintain structure.

Thelo Aasgaard is Ladbrokes’ Man of the Match after his decisive contribution, scoring the only goal of the game while also delivering one key pass, though he created no big chances or assists. His performance stood out in a tight encounter, providing the moment of quality that secured the points for Rangers before he was substituted off at 87 minutes for Lyall Cameron.

Recent Premiership matches:

• Win: 1-0 vs Motherwell (H)
• Loss: 1-2 vs Hearts (A)
• Win: 1-0 vs Hibernian (H)
• Win: 3-0 vs Kilmarnock (A)
• Draw: 2-2 vs Dundee United (A)

Recent Premiership matches:

• Loss: 0-1 vs Rangers (A)
• Win: 1-0 vs Dundee (H)
• Draw: 0-0 vs Dundee United (A)
• Win: 3-0 vs Livingston (H)
• Draw: 0-0 vs Falkirk (A)

Rangers have just beaten Motherwell 1-0, a result that builds on their recent form of two wins and a draw in their last five league games, keeping them in third place on 32 points as they chase the top spots. Their next match is against St. Mirren on 30 December 2025 at 19:45, with the opposition currently ninth on 18 points, offering a chance to extend their momentum and close the gap on the leaders.

Motherwell have just lost 1-0 to Rangers, ending a run that included a win and two draws in their previous four league outings, leaving them fourth on 30 points and looking to bounce back quickly. They face Celtic next on 30 December 2025 at 20:00, with the opposition in second on 38 points, making it a tough test where avoiding defeat could help them stay in touch with the European places.

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Odds and market details are accurate as of the time of publication.