Match ends, Rangers 2, Motherwell 2.
RangersRangers2MotherwellMotherwell2
Rangers failed to narrow the gap on Scottish Premiership leaders Celtic after losing a two-goal first-half lead at home to Motherwell.
Following Thursday's European heroics, the hosts started with zip in their play as Fashion Sakala smashed in two minutes after Bevis Mugabi's own goal.
But the Ibrox side lost their verve after the break as substitute Jordan Roberts tapped in before Kaiyne Woolery squeezed in an unlikely leveller to earn the point that moves Motherwell up to sixth.
Celtic's goalless draw at Hibernian earlier on Sunday presented an opening for Giovanni van Bronckhorst's side to reduce the leaders' advantage.
It looked the reigning champions would grab the opportunity with both hands, but two moments of cheap defending, coupled with poor second-half finishing, allowed Graham Alexander's men to claim a point at Ibrox for the second time this term.
"We have to get back to being ruthless defensively and in finishing chances," Van Bronckhorst told RangersTV. "We started off really well first half, then you have to continue it second half.
"We pushed, but one goal and they are back in the game. If we score the third goal, that's gone. So many times in the last weeks we are dominating games and creating a lot of chances, but in the end coming short for the win."
Buoyant after Thursday's scalping of Borussia Dortmund, plus the news that leaders Celtic had dropped points at Easter Road, Rangers bouncing into this game with a spring in their step.
The hosts started with a swagger as Morelos took a fine first touch before poking a close-range effort against the crossbar.
The Fir Park side travelled to Govan aiming to beat Rangers in the league for the first time in two decades - a run stretching to a mammoth 50 games.
A top-flight win at Ibrox was further in the distance, last coming in May 1997, and the away side's afternoon looked ominous as Rangers knocked the ball around with pace and purpose in front of a deep visiting backline.
Captain James Tavernier tried to catch Liam Kelly out at his back post with a curling effort that had the keeper at full stretch to tip over.
Moments later, John Lundstram, deployed at centre-back alongside Connor Goldson, failed to divert a free header on target.
Ibrox youth product Kelly bettered his earlier save from Tavernier when he threw himself high to his right to get a strong palm behind Lundstram's top-corner-bound effort.
The visiting keeper was helpless to the quickfire goals that quickly followed, however, with Ryan Kent's cross diverting off Mugabi into the bottom-right corner.
And two minutes later, Kent's low ball from the left evaded everyone in the box before falling into the path of Sakala, who smashed in his fifth goal in three games against the Lanarkshire side.
Rangers ended the half with 73% of possession, but a triple substitution from Motherwell - who failed to have an effort in the first period - gave them more energy in attack.
Woolery burst down the Rangers right with ease, steaming past stand-in centre-back Lundstram, and drilled a low ball across for substitute Roberts to tap in.
Rangers pushed to restore their two-goal lead as Morelos had a header and close-range finish ruled out for narrow offside calls before Kent stung the palms of Kelly.
But failure to add to their tally meant Motherwell were always in the game, and Alexander's side took their chance to punish the hosts' wasteful finishing when Woolery somehow managed to keep a hold of the ball and squeeze a finish past Allan McGregor at his near post.
Ricki Lamie's blushes were saved by an offside flag when the defender passed up a golden chance to give Motherwell a remarkable lead, stabbing a deep free-kick from Jake Carroll straight at McGregor.
And the centre-back was involved in the thick of the action straight up the other end when a sensational block denied Scott Arfield. The rebound fell to Goldson, who struck straight at an inspired Kelly.
Rangers screamed for a penalty for handball in the closing stages, but Motherwell survived a late scare to earn a fantastic point, while the Ibrox side's stuttering 2022 league form drags on.
Man of the match - Kaiyne Woolery
What did we learn?
Eyes were on Rangers to see if their recent inconsistent league form would continue after Thursday's momentous European occasion, with Ibrox side failing to win four of their seven league games since the turn of the year.
Any fears in the home crowd of that becoming five were non-existent just over a quarter into the game. At half-time, signs were emerging that the title momentum was perhaps swinging back in the direction of the champions.
But a lacklustre second-half showing, a criticism labelled at Rangers throughout this season, threw away two points that were all but sewn up.
With just 13 points gained from a possible 24 on offer in 2022, Van Bronckhorst has to quickly address the mentality issue that is festering in the squad.
Alexander's Motherwell looked beaten at half-time, but the Fir Park boss deserves huge credit for his bold half-time changes.
The Lanarkshire side are still searching for their first league win of the year, with their last victory coming on Boxing Day.
But the character behind this fightback will fuel Alexander's men with huge belief going into back-to-back games at home to Ross County and Dundee - two fixtures that will define whether the Lanarkshire club are serious contenders for fourth spot.
What did they say?
Motherwell manager Graham Alexander: "I'm proud of everyone. I don't think anyone would've been thinking we were going to get anything at half-time.
"But again we showed great spirit and togetherness to get back into the game with two goals. Then we had to defend for our lives, the boys put their bodies on the line."
What's next?
Both sides are in midweek action on Wednesday (19:45 GMT) as Rangers travel to St Johnstone while Motherwell host Ross County.
Player of the match
WooleryKaiyne Woolery
with an average of 9.12
Rangers
Avg
- Squad number20Player nameMorelosAverage rating
4.19
- Squad number30Player nameSakalaAverage rating
4.14
- Squad number14Player nameKentAverage rating
4.10
- Squad number3Player nameBasseyAverage rating
3.90
- Squad number1Player nameMcGregorAverage rating
3.78
- Squad number2Player nameTavernierAverage rating
3.52
- Squad number6Player nameGoldsonAverage rating
3.43
- Squad number18Player nameKamaraAverage rating
3.35
- Squad number17Player nameAyodele-AriboAverage rating
3.31
- Squad number37Player nameArfieldAverage rating
3.19
- Squad number25Player nameRoofeAverage rating
2.89
- Squad number4Player nameLundstramAverage rating
1.44
Motherwell
Avg
- Squad number7Player nameWooleryAverage rating
9.12
- Squad number11Player nameShawAverage rating
8.95
- Squad number28Player nameRobertsAverage rating
8.83
- Squad number14Player nameOjalaAverage rating
8.82
- Squad number21Player nameSolholm JohansenAverage rating
8.78
- Squad number1Player nameKellyAverage rating
8.75
- Squad number17Player nameAmaluzorAverage rating
8.73
- Squad number8Player nameO'HaraAverage rating
8.23
- Squad number26Player nameTierneyAverage rating
8.19
- Squad number5Player nameMugabiAverage rating
8.17
- Squad number3Player nameCarrollAverage rating
8.16
- Squad number20Player nameEffordAverage rating
8.16
- Squad number22Player nameDonnellyAverage rating
8.16
- Squad number2Player nameO'DonnellAverage rating
8.05
- Squad number18Player nameCorneliusAverage rating
8.02
- Squad number4Player nameLamieAverage rating
8.01
Line-ups
Rangers
Formation 4-3-3
- 1McGregor
- 2TavernierBooked at 75mins
- 6Goldson
- 4Lundstram
- 3Bassey
- 37Arfield
- 18Kamara
- 17Ayodele-Aribo
- 30SakalaSubstituted forRoofeat 83'minutes
- 20MorelosBooked at 56mins
- 14Kent
Substitutes
- 9Diallo
- 19Sands
- 22Zukowski
- 23Wright
- 25Roofe
- 26Balogun
- 31Barisic
- 33McLaughlin
- 51Lowry
Motherwell
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Kelly
- 2O'DonnellBooked at 72mins
- 5Mugabi
- 4Lamie
- 3Carroll
- 18Cornelius
- 22DonnellyBooked at 80mins
- 7WoolerySubstituted forOjalaat 90+3'minutes
- 8O'HaraSubstituted forAmaluzorat 45'minutesSubstituted forSolholm Johansenat 83'minutes
- 26TierneySubstituted forRobertsat 45'minutes
- 20EffordBooked at 29minsSubstituted forShawat 45'minutes
Substitutes
- 11Shaw
- 14Ojala
- 16Slattery
- 17Amaluzor
- 21Solholm Johansen
- 27Goss
- 28Roberts
- 29Shields
- 31Morrison
- Referee:
- Don Robertson
- Attendance:
- 49,318
Match Stats
Home TeamRangersAway TeamMotherwell
- Possession
- Home77%
- Away23%
- Shots
- Home28
- Away5
- Shots on Target
- Home8
- Away3
- Corners
- Home15
- Away1
- Fouls
- Home8
- Away16
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Rangers 2, Motherwell 2.
Substitution
Substitution, Motherwell. Juhani Ojala replaces Kaiyne Woolery.
Post update
Attempt missed. Joe Ayodele-Aribo (Rangers) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Scott Arfield.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Alfredo Morelos (Rangers) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Scott Arfield (Rangers) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Alfredo Morelos.
Post update
Corner, Rangers. Conceded by Stephen O'Donnell.
Post update
Attempt saved. Connor Goldson (Rangers) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Post update
Attempt missed. Ryan Kent (Rangers) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the left.
Post update
Attempt saved. Kemar Roofe (Rangers) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Ryan Kent with a cross.
Substitution
Substitution, Motherwell. Sondre Solholm Johansen replaces Justin Amaluzor.
Substitution
Substitution, Rangers. Kemar Roofe replaces Fashion Sakala.
Post update
Attempt missed. Ryan Kent (Rangers) left footed shot from outside the box is too high.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Connor Goldson (Rangers) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by James Tavernier.
Post update
Attempt saved. Connor Goldson (Rangers) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Scott Arfield (Rangers) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Post update
Corner, Rangers. Conceded by Kaiyne Woolery.
Booking
Liam Donnelly (Motherwell) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Scott Arfield (Rangers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Liam Donnelly (Motherwell).
