Rangers demolished St Johnstone 4‑0 at Ibrox, with Kevin Kelsy netting a brace on his return to the starting XI. The win was the club’s seventh triumph in eight league games and cut Celtic’s advantage at the top of the Scottish Premiership to a single point.
The match began with a quick strike from Ryan Naderi, who received a precise pass from Minsu Kim and tapped the ball past the St Johnstone keeper. Kelsy added a second minute later after a clever link‑up with Naderi, who had been played through by Kim. St Johnstone made a triple substitution at half‑time, but Rangers stayed in control. In the second half, Kelsy capitalised on a header from Emmanuel Fernandez that was diverted into the net by his own foot, giving the hosts a 3‑0 lead. A substitute, Tochi Chukwuani, sealed the victory with a late finish from a cross by Djeidi Gassama, making the final score 4‑0.
The win brings Rangers to 24 points from 15 matches, leaving them just one point behind Celtic, who will travel to Edinburgh for a league fixture against Hibernian on Sunday. St Johnstone were reduced to ten men after midfielder Adam Fotheringham was sent off in the 74th minute following a second‑yellow card for a tackle on a substitute.
Kelsy’s performance was a highlight of the evening, as he scored twice and was involved in the build‑up to the third goal. Naderi also contributed with two goals, while Chukwuani’s late strike added a fourth. The match was dominated by Rangers’ attacking play, with several close chances and a decisive goal from Minsu Kim’s shot that was saved by the St Johnstone keeper.
With the victory, Rangers have strengthened their challenge for the league title, while St Johnstone will look to recover from a heavy defeat and a red card that left them short-handed. The next step for Rangers is a league match against Hibernian, where they will aim to maintain their momentum and close the gap on Celtic.