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There was admirable efficiency about the way Roma handled this journey to Scotland. Minimum of fuss. Roma from Italy’s capital did, nonetheless, meet favourable opposition when placing their Europa League bid back on track. There was a obvious difference in class between the Serie A outfit and a the Scottish team side that has now suffered defeat in a club record seven European games consecutively.

Positively, the home side at least huffed and puffed during a later period when capitulation felt the probable option. Yet, the match was settled as a contest by then. The Scottish club remain anchored at the foot of the tournament, which should constitute an disgrace to a team of this standing. Roma have ambitions again on achieving significant success. One slight disappointment here was in not producing a result appropriately depicting the mismatch in quality.

Amazingly, this marked only Roma’s second-ever continental encounter with Scottish opposition since the historic Fairs Cup fixtures with Hibernian in 1961. The previous one, against Dundee United 23 years later, became overshadowed (to put it politely) by the bribing of a match official. Back then, teams from Scotland could compete with the top sides in the continent. The current campaign has seen the UEFA coefficient drop to a point that will soon have major consequences.

Danny Röhl’s main quality up to now as the Rangers support are see it is that he isn’t Russell Martin. The latter’s ghastly tenure as the manager lasted just over four months in the early part of the campaign. Röhl, the recent appointment at the helm, has shown promise though within a tiny sample size. The dugouts witnessed a clash of generations; Röhl is 36, his opposite number the Roma manager is 67.

A further factor was much more noticeable as the sides took the field. The home team’s glaring lack of height against the visitors looked ominous. This point was confirmed within the opening quarter-hour as Bryan Cristante easily redirected a corner at the front post. Following up, the Argentine winger sprinted into space to fire his team in front. A Roma team minus the unavailable Evan Ferguson and their star attacker, who have been criticised for bluntness even with reasonable performances in this campaign, were delighted with their early advantage.

Rangers could have levelled matters immediately. Rather, Youssef Chermiti screwed his shot wide after a defensive error in the Roma defence. The player’s eight-million-pound purchase from the Toffees has increased scrutiny of the club’s recruitment team. Chermiti possesses at least the physical attributes to be an productive striker but seems reluctant or incapable to use them.

The Italian outfit controlled first-half the ball from that point. They extended their advantage through their captain, whose bent effort into the bottom corner of Jack Butland’s net came after a lay off from Artem Dovbyk. Rangers will bemoan the fact the midfielder was left in blissful isolation but it was a superb strike. The stadium, usually a boisterous venue on continental evenings, had been silenced with time still remaining until halftime. The discontent which greeted the half-time whistle were timid; Rangers were clearly in the process of being overwhelmed.

After the break began against a curious backdrop. Those Rangers fans directed their focus once again towards the top executive, the CEO, and transfer chief, the director. Two banners, obviously menacing in message, showed the pair with bullseyes on their images. One wonders what the Rangers chairman thinks about all this. After all, the chairman had an low-profile life as a successful businessman in the United States before leading a acquisition of Rangers. Paying punters have not turned on the owner yet but there is a rebellious mood in the air. It is one which is unsurprising; Rangers’ management is wholly unconvincing.

Right on cue, Chermiti was sent through on the keeper on the 60-minute mark and hit the side netting. That moment sparked the home side’s finest spell of the match, in which their substitute Thelo Aasgaard fired just wide. Yet, nonetheless, hard to determine Roma’s continued offensive intent until the full-back was presented with a chance all of a yard out which he inexplicably hit up and on to the bottom of the crossbar.

That was it as far as clear-cut opportunity were concerned. The raft of substitutions from both teams resulted in this game ended more in the style of a pre-season friendly than competitive match. That scenario benefited the Italians perfectly. There was cause to consider how exactly the Glasgow club, finalists in this tournament in 2022 and worthy of the quarter-finals a season ago, arrived at the stage of just participating.