Scott Wright’s chic end lastly killed off cussed Livingston as Rangers started their first Scottish Premiership title defence in 10 years with victory.
Steven Gerrard’s facet, unbeaten within the league final season with a 100% house report, surged into an early lead when Ianis Hagi lashed excessive into the online.
However their risk was blunted till Wright curled a shot into the far nook with the surface of his boot, earlier than fellow substitute Kemar Roofe added a last-minute third.
Livingston did not muster a shot on the right track, with Ayo Obileye horribly miscuing a free header within the first half.
Rangers’ Premiership unbeaten streak now stands at 40 matches and the late flurry put a extra reasonable complexion on a consequence that by no means regarded unsure.
The brand new season heralds the return of supporters in vital numbers to Scottish soccer stadia, and the 23,000 house followers had barely taken their seat earlier than they have been rising to applaud the opener in a relentless Rangers begin.
Hagi, on their lonesome on the again put up, killed James Tavernier’s free-kick with one contact. The Romanian then feigned to shoot, promoting two Livingston gamers a dummy, and stepped inside to rifle a shot into the highest nook.
Goalkeeper Max Stryjek was quickly clawing away a bouncing strike from Joe Aribo as Livingston got here underneath siege.
Left-back Adam Lewis, on mortgage from Liverpool, was enduring a torrid introduction to Scottish soccer. Having conceded the free-kick for the objective, the 21-year-old earned the primary reserving of the season for chopping down Hagi.
The scorer, nonetheless feeling the consequences, hobbled off on the half hour and Lewis adopted after the break with a decent hamstring.
Nonetheless, whereas dominating possession, Rangers have been unable to additional bother Livingston within the first half. Striker Style Sakala struggled to affect proceedings in a quiet debut earlier than being changed by Roofe on 70 minutes.
Livingston, to their credit score, weathered the early storm however have been too wasteful in possession to hassle Jon McLaughlin on a uncommon league begin within the Rangers objective.
Wright, Hagi’s alternative, staked his declare for normal motion by reviving Rangers as an attacking pressure.
The ahead despatched a dipping volley narrowly over and had a header saved earlier than pouncing on a free ball within the field to brilliantly double the hosts’ benefit.
That cued a late barrage towards the tiring guests. Roofe capitalised on poor defending to blast in from six yards and Glen Kamara ought to have made it 4 when he slid in on the again put up to fireplace broad.
Extra to comply with.
Find out how to play
Fee gamers out of 10 all through or after the sport. The rater will shut half-hour after the ultimate whistle.
Score vary key = Give it up = Pure perfection
Rangers
Squad quantity33Participant titleMcLaughlin
Squad quantity2Participant titleTavernier
Squad quantity6Participant titleGoldson
Squad quantity26Participant titleBalogun
Squad quantity3Participant titleBassey
Squad quantity18Participant titleKamara
Squad quantity10Participant titleDavis
Squad quantity17Participant titleAribo
Squad quantity7Participant titleHagi
Squad quantity30Participant titleSakala
Squad quantity14Participant titleKent
Squad quantity4Participant titleLundstram
Squad quantity23Participant titleWright
Squad quantity25Participant titleRoofe
Livingston
Squad quantity32Participant titleStryjek
Squad quantity21Participant titleMcMillan
Squad quantity6Participant titleObileye
Squad quantity5Participant titleFitzwater
Squad quantity16Participant titleLewis
Squad quantity8Participant titlePittman
Squad quantity18Participant titleHolt
Squad quantity10Participant titleSibbald
Squad quantity17Participant titleForrest
Squad quantity9Participant titleAnderson
Squad quantity29Participant titlePenrice
Squad quantity2Participant titleDevlin
Squad quantity23Participant titleHamilton
Squad quantity37Participant titleKabia
Line-ups
Rangers
Formation 4-3-3
33McLaughlin
2Tavernier6Goldson26Balogun3Bassey
18Kamara10Davis17Aribo
7Hagi30Sakala14Kent
33McLaughlin2Tavernier6Goldson26Balogun3Bassey18Kamara10Davis17AriboSubstituted forLundstramat 64′minutes7HagiSubstituted forWrightat 31′minutes30SakalaSubstituted forRoofeat 71′minutes14Kent
Substitutes
1McGregor4Lundstram11Itten15Simpson16Patterson23Wright25Roofe
Livingston
Formation 4-3-3
32Stryjek
21McMillan6Obileye5Fitzwater16Lewis
8Pittman18Holt10Sibbald
17Forrest9Anderson29Penrice
32Stryjek21McMillan6Obileye5Fitzwater16LewisBooked at 13minsSubstituted forKabiaat 56′minutesSubstituted forat 79′minutes8Pittman18Holt10SibbaldBooked at 60minsSubstituted forDevlinat 66′minutesBooked at 90mins17ForrestBooked at 25mins9AndersonSubstituted forHamiltonat 68′minutes29PenriceBooked at 87mins
Substitutes
1Barden2Devlin11Montaño20Reilly23Hamilton24Kelly37Kabia
Referee:John Beaton
Attendance:23,000
Stay Textual content
Match ends, Rangers 3, Livingston 0.
Second Half ends, Rangers 3, Livingston 0.
Nicky Devlin (Livingston) is proven the yellow card for a nasty foul.
Calvin Bassey (Rangers) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Nicky Devlin (Livingston).
Try missed. Glen Kamara (Rangers) left footed shot from very shut vary is excessive and broad to the left. Assisted by John Lundstram.
Try missed. John Lundstram (Rangers) proper footed shot from the proper facet of the field misses to the left. Assisted by Scott Wright.
Objective! Rangers 3, Livingston 0. Kemar Roofe (Rangers) proper footed shot from very shut vary to the underside left nook.
Try missed. James Tavernier (Rangers) proper footed shot from the proper facet of the field misses to the left. Assisted by Steven Davis.
Foul by Kemar Roofe (Rangers).
Jack McMillan (Livingston) wins a free kick within the defensive half.
Try saved. James Tavernier (Rangers) proper footed shot from exterior the field is saved within the backside left nook.
James Penrice (Livingston) is proven the yellow card for a nasty foul.
Ryan Kent (Rangers) wins a free kick within the attacking half.
Foul by James Penrice (Livingston).
Nook, Rangers. Conceded by Jack Fitzwater.
Nook, Rangers. Conceded by Jack Fitzwater.
Try missed. Calvin Bassey (Rangers) left footed shot from exterior the field is excessive and broad to the proper. Assisted by Ryan Kent.
Offside, Rangers. Connor Goldson tries a by way of ball, however Ryan Kent is caught offside.
Try blocked. Connor Goldson (Rangers) proper footed shot from exterior the field is blocked. Assisted by Ryan Kent.
