Scottish League Cup: Motherwell 0-2 Rangers
By Chris McLaughlin
BBC Sport
Rangers signalled their intent on their top-flight return with a Scottish League Cup victory over Premiership rivals Motherwell.
Hosts Well passed up a host of chances in an entertaining match.
But Rangers were lifted when they went ahead immediately after the break as James Tavernier found the far top corner with a superb curling drive.
Martyn Waghorn added the second with a low curler in stoppage time to give Rangers the three Group F points.
Rangers boss Mark Warburton resisted the temptation to throw in his summer signings and started with a very familiar line-up.
Motherwell manager Mark McGhee hinted before kick-off that the game may have come too soon for his side and urged caution from the critics.
But his team looked the more threatening early on, and Andy Halliday had to scoop the ball off the line after Lionel Ainsworth got through on goal on the right-hand side with just a minute on the clock.
Scott McDonald found himself in a similar position on the left, but goalkeeper Wes Foderingham got down well to save and clear the danger.
Rangers looked nervous, with Motherwell looked desperate to capitalise, and Chris Cadden's dragged shot from six yards completed a trio of good chances missed in the first 10 minutes for the home side.
With McGhee's side looking happy to concede possession and hit Rangers on the break, Marvin Johnson passed up another two decent chances before the hour.
But two minutes into the second half, the game took on a completely different feel as the visitors broke the deadlock.
Waghon slipped the ball to Tavernier, who fired the ball into the top left-hand corner.
It was just reward for Rangers' possession but punishment for a Motherwell side who were defending deeper as the game progressed.
With the men in blue now firmly in their stride, a second looked inevitable and Harry Forrester battered the ball off the bar.
The Rangers fans gave a rousing reception to new signing Nico Kranjcar just before the hour and it looked like his first touch was sure to be a goal only for the Croat to get himself into a tangle.
Barrie McKay should have doubled the lead but could only blast over an empty goal from eight yards out.
Rangers sealed it when Waghorn found some space in the box on the angle and swivelled and curled a fabulous shot low into the net.
Meanwhile, former Hearts and Hamilton striker Christian Nade marked hisStranraer debut with the opening goal as the League One outfit won the other Group F game 2-1 at Annan Athletic.
Nade, who left Dumbarton during the summer, opend the scoring after half-time against League Two opposition.
Frank McKeown added their second goal before Przemyslaw Dachnowicz, the midfielder who joined Annan from Rangers this summer, pulled a goal back three minutes from time.
Rangers manager Mark Warburton: "I'll take 12 minutes of rustiness, but I thought we dominated the game after the 15th minute and, in truth, we should have been further ahead.
"Considering it was our first competitive game, we lost out on a few one v ones and gave the ball away cheaply early on, but after that it was a very pleasing afternoon's work.
"I thought our energy levels were really good and you must remember that most of our players have only had 45 minutes' game time against Charleston Battery.
"But we dominated possession, created chances and looked sharp. I'm really pleased."
Motherwell manager Mark McGhee: "As far as we are concerned, we made enough chances to at least get to penalty-kicks.
"Rangers play different to us, they have a lot more possession, but we know that and we were comfortable with that.
"In between them having possession, we made the best chances but didn't take them.
"And I think that reflects the fact that it's only two weeks into pre-season training and people like Marvin Johnston and Scott McDonald will get sharper."
MotherwellRangers
- Possession
- 34%
- 66%
- Shots
- 13
- 20
- Shots on Target
- 3
- 7
- Corners
- 3
- 6
- Fouls
- 11
- 12
