Rangers’ season tilted into something harsher at Ibrox on Saturday night, as Hibernian won 2-1 to leave Philippe Clement’s side with a fourth defeat in a row. Dane Scarlett scored the late winner after Martin Boyle had struck early and Thelo Aasgaard briefly hauled Rangers level before half-time.
The night began with James Tavernier already in the spotlight. He withdrew from the squad after learning he would not start, then appeared before kick-off to receive a presentation from John Greig to mark his 11 years of service. It was a dignified moment before a match that would end with Rangers beaten again and their title challenge over after three post-split defeats in a row.
Hibernian made the sharper start and were rewarded when Jordan Obita’s cross picked out Boyle. The forward slammed his volley under Jack Butland from 10 yards, a finish that exposed Rangers’ nerves before the home side had settled. Raphael Sallinger then kept Hibs in front with several saves in the first half as Rangers pushed for a response.
That reply came just before the interval through Aasgaard, who drove a powerful free-kick into the top corner from the edge of the box. For a brief stretch, it seemed Rangers had a route back into the hibs game and a chance to rescue the evening. But the momentum did not last, and Hibs stayed organised enough to wait for another opening.
Scarlett found it late, ending Rangers’ hopes and deepening the damage from a run that has now stripped the season of its final stakes. The result did more than hand Hibernian three points. It closed the book on Rangers’ title chase and underlined how badly the past few weeks have gone, with the team now four games into a losing streak and the pressure spreading far beyond one night at Ibrox.
Tavernier’s exit from the squad and his presentation before the match added another layer to the evening, especially with the club captain set to leave this summer. The applause for 11 years of service belonged to a different kind of occasion. By full time, Rangers were left with a defeat that felt bigger than the scoreline and a home crowd watching a season unravel in real time.
