Falkirk 1 – 2 Rangers

Setembro 2, 2026 lojamais44@gmail.com

Lawrence Shankland’s stunning double secured back-to-back Scottish Premiership wins for Rangers with a 2-1 victory at Falkirk on Wednesday night.

Manager Derek McInnes was forced to watch from the stand at a rainy Falkirk Stadium as he began his touchline ban for comments made last season while in charge of Hearts.

It was his former Jambos captain who gave them the lead in style, collecting Djeidi Gassama’s ball and smashing it into the net after eight minutes.

They were far from convincing and Kosta Nedeljkovic inexplicably knocked the ball into his own net to pull the Bairns level before half-time.

Falkirk then had the better of the chances and Jacob Murrell should have put them ahead on his home debut.

Aodhan Doherty wasted a brilliant chance after a mix-up between Gers keeper Ivor Pandur and Ross McCrorie, with the substitute then setting up his captain to sweep in the winner late on.

John McGlynn’s remain without a league win and are only above pointless Kilmarnock, while Rangers are fifth on seven points from their four matches.

The key moments from the Falkirk Stadium

8: GOAL! Brilliant from the Rangers captain. Gassama sends the ball into Shankland, he switches onto his left before firing into the net.

16: CHANCE! Ross feeds the ball through to Fodrey in the box, but he can’t get his feet sorted.

19: OFF THE POST! Kim denied by the woodwork.

24: SAVE! Kim close again! Bain reacts quickly to deny the Rangers newcomer, Raskin hits the side netting with the rebound.

44: GOAL! Falkirk are level. Ross sends in a cross, Nedeljkovic slides in to try and clear but instead puts it past Pandur.

48: SAVE! Fodrey gets his head to a cross but it’s plucked out the air by Pandur.

51: CHANCE! Ross with a brilliant cross to the feet of Murrell but his effort lacks power and Pandur saves.

52: WIDE! What a chance for Shankland. Curtis lays it on a plate for the Rangers skipper but he somehow puts it past.

61: OVER! A brilliant chance for the Bairns. Murrell’s header is deflected over the bar.

62: CHANCE! Falkirk should be in front! Murrell is one-on-one with Pandur after an awful pass from Fernandez, but his shot lacks power and the opportunity is gone.

78: WHAT A MISS! Doherty should have the ball in the after a mix up between Pandur and Curtis, but he gets it all wrong.

79: GOAL! A huge goal from the captain. Shankland collects McCrorie’s pass, takes a touch then fires into the bottom corner.

‘Classy’ Shankland the difference

Former Rangers midfielder Scott Arfield on Sky Sports:

“At Hearts, Shankland had runners going in behind and I think you’ve got that now with this front four.

“Gassama looks like he’s reinvented himself which obviously helps him and his two goals are just class.

“Shankland just touches it and he just knows where the goal is.

“It’s like an easy wee golf shot and he just touches it, finishes it.

“Goals never move and he makes it look so easy and he’ll continue to do that time and time and time again and that is why you bring him to the club because he is just a classy finisher.”

Sky Sports’ Kris Boyd:

“It’s all about points to a certain point then you’ve got to start winning with performances.

“They’ve done enough to get over the line, but it’s got to be better.

“It is all about winning but, at the same time, you’ve got to see signs of improvement and it was a slogfest out there for Rangers again.

“You’re only as good as you’re strikers and that’s been the story tonight.

“You look at the chances Murrell missed at the other end, Rangers have got a clinical striker.”

‘Too scrappy’ for McInnes

Rangers manager Derek McInnes speaking to Sky Sports:

“Too scrappy for my liking. There were too many opportunities in the game for Falkirk.

“Lack of concentration in what you’re trying to do really. If you’re going to play the ball at the back and bring teams onto you it’s to try and go somewhere with it.

“I just thought we ran up a cul-de-sac and gave away a few stupid little fouls. Just invites pressure and gives them a bit of encouragement.

“Sometimes that’s where experience comes in.

“I’m not unhappy because we’ve won the game and we’re in the back of winning at Aberdeen on Sunday.

“It’s great to get another three points. I thought the effort for the team was great. As a team it was great.

“All the characteristics you want for a team coming away from home were there.

“It’s all about winning games and hopefully now we can move on to Saturday and two home games now for us to look forward to.

“The window will be closed when we come into that game. I think that will be a godsend for me and for everybody else here.”

Shankland: ‘Winning breeds confidence’

Rangers captain Lawrence Shankland speaking to Sky Sports:

“Delighted to follow up from the weekend with another good result.

“We had quite a lot of moments around their box and I think we just snatched at a couple of things and made the wrong decisions.

“We knew we had to tidy up in the final third. I’ll just keep shooting with my left foot!

“The scrutiny is up there at the moment, but I just had to stay confident and another chance would come.

“There’s been a lot to sort out and take in. When you start winning games, it breeds confidence and everything feels a bit easier.

“We know we’ve got a lot to improve on with our performances, but we had some good moments and we’ll take those positives.”

McGlynn confident wins will come

Falkirk manager John McGlynn speaking to Sky Sports:

“Absolutely gutted for the players, they put so much into the game to not get anything from it.

“We don’t want to be known as the team who can play some nice football but not come out with points. We had some good opportunities in the second half that could have got us into a lead.

“I’m proud of the players for the performance they’ve put on and the effort they’ve put into the game.

“We go to Celtic Park and come out with a bit of credit, we get credit tonight but we want to get points out these games.

“We need to start winning games, but with the performance we have the encouragement that will come.”