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Roma displayed admirable efficiency about the way the Italian side handled this trip to Glasgow. Without much drama. Roma from Italy’s capital did, nonetheless, meet favourable opposition when putting their European competition bid on the right path. Observers noted a glaring gulf in quality between Roma and a the Scottish team squad that has now lost a team record seven European games in a row.

To their credit, Rangers at least fought hard during a later period when surrender felt the more likely outcome. However, the match was decided as a competition at that stage. Rangers remain anchored at the foot of the Europa League, which should represent an embarrassment to a club of this standing. The Giallorossi have eyes once more on making proper impact. One slight disappointment in this match was in not delivering a scoreline appropriately depicting the mismatch in quality.

Surprisingly, this represented only the Roman club’s second continental encounter with Scottish opposition since the historic Fairs Cup fixtures with Hibs in 1961. The previous one, against Dundee United over two decades later, became marred (to put it politely) by the corruption of a match official. Back then, Scottish clubs could vie with the best in Europe. The current campaign has seen the co-efficient drop to a point that will soon have major ramifications.

Danny Röhl’s key attribute up to now as the fanbase are see it is that he is not his predecessor. The latter’s dismal tenure as the head coach continued for just over four months 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; the Rangers boss is thirty-six, his opposite number the Roma manager is 67.

Another element was much more noticeable as the sides took the field. The home team’s obvious short stature against the visitors looked ominous. That concern was proven within the opening quarter-hour as Bryan Cristante easily redirected a set-piece at the near post. At the back, Matías Soulé sprinted into space to fire his team ahead. A Roma team without the injured their young striker and Paulo Dybala, who have been criticised for bluntness despite reasonable performances in the tournament, were delighted with their quick lead.

The Ibrox side could have levelled matters immediately. Rather, the forward sent his effort off target after a mix-up in the Roma defence. Chermiti’s £8m purchase from Everton has increased scrutiny of the club’s recruitment team. He has at least the physical attributes to be an productive centre forward but appears reluctant or incapable to utilize them fully.

Roma controlled opening period possession from that point. Roma doubled their lead through Lorenzo Pellegrini, whose bent effort into the bottom corner of the goalkeeper’s net arrived after a pass from the Ukrainian forward. The hosts will lament the fact Pellegrini stood in complete freedom but it was a gorgeous strike. Ibrox, typically a boisterous venue on continental evenings, had been quietened nine minutes before the break. The discontent which greeted the interval were subdued; Rangers were simply in the process of being outclassed.

The second period started against a curious backdrop. Those Rangers fans turned their attentions once again towards the club’s chief executive, the CEO, and sporting director, Kevin Thelwell. A pair of displays, clearly sinister in tone, depicted the duo with bullseyes on their images. One wonders what the Rangers chairman thinks about all this. After all, the chairman enjoyed an low-profile life as a wealthy entrepreneur in the United States before fronting a acquisition of Rangers. Fans have not turned on the owner so far but there is a mutinous feeling around the club. This is unsurprising; Rangers’ leadership is wholly unconvincing.

Right on cue, the striker was sent through on the keeper on the hour mark and hit the side netting. That moment sparked Rangers’ finest spell of the match, in which their substitute Thelo Aasgaard fired just wide. Yet, however, difficult to determine the visitors’ continued attacking motivation until Zeki Celik was given a opportunity all of a yard out which he somehow hit up and on to the underside of the crossbar.

That was it as far as clear-cut chances were concerned. The series of substitutions from both teams meant this fixture ended more in the fashion of a summer exhibition than competitive match. This of course suited Roma perfectly. It prompted reflection to ponder how exactly Rangers, finalists in this competition in recently and worthy of the quarter-finals a season ago, arrived at the point of just participating.