Danny Röhl off to losing start at Rangers as Brann cruise to victory

Danny Röhl discovered Rangers’ problems run deeper than former boss Russell Martin as the Light Blues were blitzed 3-0 by Brann in Bergen. The 36-year-old German head coach was installed as Martin’s successor on Monday with the Gers sitting sixth in the Premiership and having lost their opening two games in the Europa League to Genk and Sturm Graz.

However, a new era at Rangers continued along familiar lines against a side third in the Norwegian top flight. Emil Kornvig scored five minutes before the break to give Freyr Alexandersson’s side a deserved interval lead, Jacob Sørensen added a second after 55 minutes with Noah Holm firing in a third in the 79th minute, on a night when once again the beleaguered Light Blues performed to an embarrassingly low standard.

It seems there will be no quick fix for Gers fans desperate to see the Ibrox club shake themselves out of their lethargy. With five remaining Europa League games against tough opposition, progress into the knockout phase looks unlikely and after a sobering debut, the former Sheffield Wednesday boss now has to prepare his side to face Kilmarnock at Ibrox on Sunday.

Röhl’s first team selection saw him bring in defender Nasser Djiga and much-maligned 21-year-old striker Youssef Chermiti for Derek Cornelius and Bojan Miovski, who were both on the bench.

The sporting director Keven Thelwell had this week defended the signing of unproven Chermiti for a reported fee of £8.5m from Everton and he found little joy with some early touches and missed a first-half sitter but his teammates were no better.

The home side looked more fluid and organised and in the 14th minute Eivind Helland headed a corner wide before Jack Butland made a terrific save from Ulrik Mathisen’s point-blank header, after he was set up by Holm.

Butland then parried Bård Finne’s angled drive before Holm fired over the bar but Rangers came back and Norway international Thelo Aasgaard miskicked 14 yards from goal after taking a pass from James Tavernier. There was more profligacy when Chermiti meekly headed a curling Nicolas Raskin cross into the hands of Mathias Dyngeland.

The Norwegian side had regained control when Finne raced into the box with Tavernier nowhere to be seen but although he took a poor touch as defender John Souttar challenged, the ball moved past Butland with Kornvig first there to knock it into the net.

It was more of the same after the break for Rangers and the second goal was soon conceded, after Oliver Antman conceded a foul wide on the left. When Finne curled the free-kick into the box Sørensen easily got away from Jayden Meghoma to knock the ball past Butland.

Antman made way for Mikey Moore, who flashed a cross from Meghoma over the bar from 12 yards but Holm was more clinical from the same distance when a cross from Vetle Dragsnes landed at his feet. For frustrated Gers fans, it was a new face in the dugout but the same old frailties on the pitch.