Rangers 2-1 St. Mirren: Post-match review, Stats, Key moments

Rangers controlled the ball with 59% possession compared to St. Mirren’s 41%, which allowed them to dictate much of the tempo and create more opportunities, as shown by their edge in corners at 5-4 and a clear lead in successful dribbles with 50 against 25. This dominance in midfield and attacking transitions was underlined by two assists for Rangers, while St. Mirren managed none, though they stayed competitive on the break despite the possession gap.

Discipline saw Rangers pick up one yellow card, with St. Mirren receiving two, and no reds for either side, keeping the game flowing without major disruptions. Substitutions were evenly used, with Rangers making five changes – including Max Aarons for Mikey Moore and Connor Barron for Thelo Aasgaard at 69 minutes, Danilo for Youssef Chermiti at 79, Clinton Nsiala for John Souttar at 80, and Findlay Curtis for Mohamed Diomandé at 90+1 – while St. Mirren used four, such as Dan N’Lundulu for Jonah Ayunga at 37 minutes and later swaps like Conor McMenamin for Roland Idowu at 57. St. Mirren had one penalty attempt but failed to score it, and there were no injury-time goals, reflecting a match where Rangers’ efficiency edged out St. Mirren’s resilience.

The breakthrough came in the 39th minute when Thelo Aasgaard put Rangers ahead, assisted by Jayden Meghoma, shifting momentum firmly to the hosts after an even start. Emmanuel Fernandez doubled the lead in the 52nd minute with Youssef Chermiti’s assist, capitalising on Rangers’ possession dominance. St. Mirren’s early blow saw Dan N’Lundulu replace the injured Jonah Ayunga in the 37th minute, but they fought back later.

A turning point arrived in the 74th minute with a VAR review involving Conor McMenamin, leading to a penalty that Marcus Fraser missed in the 76th after Jack Butland’s save, though Mikael Mandron pulled one back in the 82nd to set up a tense finish. Rangers’ substitutions, like Max Aarons for Mikey Moore and Connor Barron for Thelo Aasgaard in the 69th, helped maintain control, while yellow cards for Roland Idowu in the 55th, Marcus Fraser in the 59th, and Jack Butland in the 82nd added edge without derailing the flow.

Rangers lined up in a 4-3-3 formation, with a solid defensive base allowing midfielders like Mohamed Diomandé to push forward and support attackers such as Youssef Chermiti, who provided an assist for Emmanuel Fernandez’s goal. Key partnerships shone through, like Jayden Meghoma assisting Thelo Aasgaard for the opener, while later changes saw Clinton Nsiala slot into defence after replacing John Souttar and Danilo adding fresh legs up front in place of Chermiti.

St. Mirren set up in a 3-5-2 shape, relying on wing-backs to provide width and midfielders like Killian Phillips to link with forwards, though an early setback forced Dan N’Lundulu to replace Jonah Ayunga. Standout moments included Mikael Mandron’s late goal, while Conor McMenamin came on for Roland Idowu to inject energy, and Marcus Fraser’s involvement in the missed penalty highlighted their defensive resolve despite the cards.

Mikael Mandron earned Ladbrokes’ Man of the Match award for his crucial contribution, scoring St. Mirren’s only goal in the 82nd minute to give them hope of a comeback. Despite no assists, big chances created, or key passes in his stats, his strike stood out as a moment of quality in a tough away performance, keeping the visitors in the game until the end.

Recent Premiership matches:

• Win: 2-1 vs St. Mirren (H)
• Win: 1-0 vs Motherwell (H)
• Loss: 1-2 vs Hearts (A)
• Win: 1-0 vs Hibernian (H)
• Win: 3-0 vs Kilmarnock (A)

Recent Premiership matches:

• Loss: 1-2 vs Rangers (A)
• Draw: 0-0 vs Kilmarnock (H)
• Win: 1-0 vs Livingston (H)
• Win: 2-0 vs Dundee United (H)
• Draw: 3-3 vs Aberdeen (A)

Rangers have just secured a 2-1 win over St. Mirren, extending their strong recent form with victories in four of their last five league games, sitting third on 35 points. They face a big test next against Celtic on 3 January 2026 at 12:30, with the opponents currently second on 38 points, making this a key chance for Rangers to close the gap at the top and build on their momentum from wins like the 3-0 over Kilmarnock.

St. Mirren have just suffered a 2-1 defeat to Rangers, adding to a patchy run with only two wins in their last five league outings, leaving them 10th on 18 points. Their next fixture is against Motherwell on 3 January 2026 at 15:00, with the opposition fourth on 33 points, offering a tough but vital opportunity to pick up points and climb away from the lower end of the table after results like their draw with Aberdeen.

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