Rangers 1-2 Aberdeen: Dons end 26-year wait for Ibrox win

A group of players that have their own place in Ibrox folklore for all the wrong reasons has another black mark against their collective CVs.

This wasn’t as bad as the record Old Firm defeat but it was another humbling that meant much to the opposition as Aberdeen ended their 26-year long wait for victory at Ibrox.

Many had seen it as the Dons’ best chance in some time to win in Govan and so it was to prove as goals from Graeme Shinnie and Ryan Christie earned them all three points here for the first time since September 1991.

Read more: Derek McInnes hits back at Pedro Caixinha after Rangers boss accuses him of disrespect

With second place sewn up for Derek McInnes’ side, there was only pride at stake for both sides in the penultimate fixture of a contrasting campaign for these old rivals.

Games between these two are never meaningless, though, and there was a bit of needle to this one after McInnes reacted angrily to Caixinha’s pre-match comments about Ryan Jack and the end of Aberdeen’s ‘cycle’ in the top flight.

Time will tell if the Portuguese is right about the Dons’ fortunes next term but it is the Red Army who have the bragging rights this season. As Rangers head off on their holidays on Monday morning, McInnes and his players have a Scottish Cup final and some extra downtime to look forward to.

Caixinha will inform the rest of his players who will stay and who will be allowed to go during the close season by the time they leave Auchenhowie on Friday. For many, perhaps even the majority, the final Ibrox outing of the season will be the last of their Gers careers.

The Light Blue legions will take their seats here this summer as Rangers return to Europa League action but they will hope that the side they see is significantly changed from the one that lined-up here.

Clint Hill was denied a farewell on home soil as he dropped out of the side to be replaced by Aidan Wilson, the 18-year-old lining up alongside fellow Academy kid David Bates.

Read more: Rangers never got to grips with Aberdeen in Ibrox defeat, says boss Pedro Caixinha​

With Jon Toral and Kenny Miller occupying the central berths in midfield, there was little protection for the inexperienced duo against arguably the second strongest attack in Scotland.

It was a bold blueprint from Caixinha once again but his side struggled to get going and found themselves behind after just eight minutes.

Toral just about got himself out of trouble on the edge of the area and played the ball back to Wes Foderingham but it was the start of a phase that cost Rangers dear. James Tavernier attempted to find Windass but Shinnie nicked in, burst forward and rifled home a low shot to send the travelling Dons fans wild.

It wasn’t the start that Rangers wanted or needed as they found themselves up against it once again. There was little response.

Caixinha had to turn to his bench as Lee Hodson hobbled off injured and the arrival of teenager Myles Beerman brought the average age of the Light Blues defence down even further.

Rangers were losing the midfield battle but did have a couple of sights of goal. Both fell to Garner but both were unconverted.

The first came after Miller charged down a clearance and squared the ball to the striker on the edge of the area. His curling shot was just wide of Joe Lewis’ left hand post, though.

Garner was winning his share of aerial battles but there were no runners getting beyond the Englishman as the Dons defence remained intact. Garner flicked a Barrie McKay corner towards the near post but it didn’t trouble Lewis.

His opposite number was the busier of the two keepers and Rangers had Foderingham to thank as they returned to the dressing room at the break only one behind.

Read more: Derek McInnes hits back at Pedro Caixinha after Rangers boss accuses him of disrespect

The Englishman got down well to deny Ash Taylor after Andy Considine headed the ball into the path of his defensive partner. Foderingham’s stop to deny Niall McGinn was even better as he tipped the Northern Irishman’s free-kick to safety.

Caixinha has shown that he is not afraid to be proactive rather than reactive on the touchline and he made his second switch at the break as Martyn Waghorn replaced in the ineffective, once again, Joe Dodoo.

The game could have been lost in the opening minutes of the second half but Foderingham saved from Adam Rooney before Shinnie fired just over.

Within seconds, the away crowd roared in celebration as Ibrox was stunned. McGinn’s cross from the left found Rooney and the striker nodded the ball into Christie. The on-loan Celtic winner did the rest from a couple of yards out.

It looked like a lost cause for Rangers. On the hour mark, they had a faint hope.

Windass drove forward and slid the ball into Waghorn. As Lewis rushed out, the striker chipped the ball over him and into the net as the Light Blue legions were rejuvenated.

The action was end-to-end, the battle was competitive. There were few clear chances but gasps of anticipation rose from the respective camps as both sides got within sight of goal.

Rangers were giving it a go but as the clock ticked down their hopes diminished and another late, dramatic finale began to look beyond them.

There was a twist in the tale when Jayden Stockely saw red after he picked up a second booking for a rash challenge on Wilson but Aberdeen weren’t to be denied a historic victory.

There was a muted appreciation for the Rangers players as they trudged from the park, many for the last time in Light Blue.

Now, just 90 minutes remain this term. The players and the season won’t be remembered with any fondness.