Scottish Premier – KO 15:00
Rangers 3 (1) – 0(0) Hibernian
Prso 35
Prso 50
Buffel 61
Rangers- Waterreus
- Hutton
- Andrews
- Kyrgiakos
- Ball
- Buffel
- Ricksen
- Ferguson (Rae 83 )
- Vignal
- Novo (Thompson 72 )
- Prso (Arveladze 71)
Subs not used- McGregor
- Malcolm
- Burke
- Namouchi
Bookings
Hibernian- Simon Brown
Whittaker - Caldwell
- Gary Smith
- Murphy (Fletcher 80 )
- Shiels
- Murray
- Glass
- Riordan (Antonio Murray 55 )
- O'Connor
- Morrow (Konte 56)
Subs not used
Attendance
Referee
from bbc (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/4255621.stm)
Dado Prso scored twice as Rangers eased their way back to the top of the SPL with a comfortable win at Ibrox.
The striker was left unmarked to head in a 35th minute corner and drilled in his second soon after the interval.
Hibs ‘keeper Simon Brown made a number of great saves and stopped a penalty from Nacho Novo as Rangers turned in a strong first half performance.
Thomas Buffel fired Rangers further ahead with a powerful strike after a rare spell of Hibs pressure.
Rangers started strongly and Gregory Vignal sent in a low cross from the left that Dado Prso pushed into Novo’s path but the striker fired wide from a great position.
Defender Marvin Andrews was able to bundle the ball over the line from a Michael Ball corner but referee Craig Thomson had spotted an infringement in a crowded six-yard box.
Another good chance came and went for Rangers when Novo set up Prso only for the Croat to fail to beat goalkeeper Simon Brown with another clear sight of goal.
Hibs were being overrun in midfield but a swift counter-attack attack saw Garry O’Connor race onto a Sam Morrow pass only for the back-tracking Alan Hutton to block the striker’s shot.
Novo somehow managed to fire wide from close range after Buffel had set him up moments after goalkeeper Brown had slid out to divert the ball away from the Spaniard.
Brown was then required to make two saves in the space of a few seconds, first to beat away a deflected Novo effort, and then a powerful drive from Buffel.
Prso then sent a header tamely at the goalkeeper before Hutton charged forward to fire a low long-range effort which Brown scrambled round a post.
From the resulting corner Rangers took the lead when the Hibs defence allowed Prso a free header inside the six yard box.
Prso then hit the post, following a defence-splitting pass from Barry Ferguson.
The home side were awarded a penalty when Novo went tumbling but the striker’s tame effort was saved by the impressive Brown.
There was a let-off for Hibs straight after the break when Prso could only fire against the body of Gary Caldwell after the Scotland defender had stumbled in front of goal to set up the chance.
But Prso made it 2-0 in the 50th minute when he slotted the ball home after Novo had steered a Buffel cross into his path.
Hibs were denied a route back into the game when O’Connor’s shot flew across goal and narrowly wide.
Rangers ‘keeper Ronald Waterreus made his first save of the game to deny O’Connor after Buffel had lost out to Gary Smith on the left flank and substitute Antonio Murray fired just over from the corner move.
In the 61st minute, Buffel wrapped up the points with a fine solo effort and his first goal at Ibrox.
Novo and Prso combined to send him away down the inside left channel and, once he had got the better of Steven Whittaker, he beat Brown with a well-struck effort.
Hibs battled gamely over the closing stages but Rangers were content to take the sting out of a game they had thoroughly dominated.
- soccerbase
