Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
SCOTTISH PREMIERSHIP UGLY JUBBLY
It’s not pretty but wins all that matter for Pedro
PEDRO CAIXINHA insists his side are learning to win ugly after watching Rangers earn their first-ever top flight victory against Ross County. The Light Blues boss was delighted after a double from Alfredo Morelos and substitute Eduardo Herrera’s first strike for the club secured a 3-1 success in Dingwall.
Gers’ win came after taking just a point from back-to-back home games against Hibs and Hearts and moved them up to fifth in the Scottish Premiership.
The Ibrox side are now five points behind leaders
Aberdeen and three adrift of Old Firm rivals Celtic going into the international break. Caixinha admitted it wasn’t pretty in the second half after his side were made to sweat when Staggies substitute Thomas Mikkelsen pulled a goal back after Morelos netted a first half double, the second after a howler from County keeper Scott Fox.
And the Gers boss has warned his players they will have to improve on their sloppy second half performance going forward.
But after Herrera made sure of the points with a last minute strike, Caixinha said: “It’s back to winnings ways which is the most important thing and we got it.
“Games like this teach us that the games are about winning. Sometimes you need to suffer or can’t play the best way, the game is still about winning.
“So I’m pleased with the work of the boys and I’m pleased with the result. I was pleased with the first half but I didn’t like the way we lost easily some passes that led to the goal in the second half.
“That also led to the momentum shifting in that stage of the game to the opponent. “Sometimes that happens in a game. Just a simple action can change an entire game.
“We lost a lot of balls. If you concede one goal the other team can get momentum. It happens everywhere.
“We didn’t control the game by having the ball so that’s something we need to analyse.”
Caixinha insists there is more to come from his new boys after Morelos scored twice, Herrera grabbed a goal and Carlos Pena made his second substitute appearance.
Pena was the most expensive of the 10 summer signings so far and Caixinha said: “He is going to get used and he will get the right rhythm. It’s about games and minutes, about getting a rhythm from playing.”