Ryan Naderi scores twice as Rangers beat Kilmarnock to go top

Ryan Naderi scored twice in the first half as Rangers beat Kilmarnock 3-1 at Ibrox on Saturday, 10 October, to move one point clear of Celtic at the top of the Scottish Premiership. The result gave Rangers a sixth consecutive league win, but their lead remained provisional: Celtic were due to visit Motherwell on Sunday.

Naderi opened the scoring in the 15th minute and struck again in the 44th, according to Sky Sports’ match report. Kevin Kelsy scored Rangers’ other goal in the 24th minute. Kilmarnock substitute Nicky Clescenco replied in the 90th minute, denying Rangers another clean sheet without changing the result. Sky reported that both of Naderi’s goals were headers.

How Naderi’s recent goals have changed Rangers’ position

The two goals took Naderi to six for the season, according to Sky. He had also scored the only goal in Rangers’ 1-0 league win away to Celtic on 20 September, a result confirmed by the Scottish Professional Football League. BBC Sport counted three Naderi goals across those two league matches. His recent scoring has therefore contributed directly to wins over both Celtic and Kilmarnock.

When Rangers won at Celtic Park in September, the SPFL said they had moved within two points of the leaders. The Kilmarnock result put them a point ahead of Celtic, according to BBC Sport. That is a change in the immediate standings, rather than a settled lead: Celtic’s scheduled match at Motherwell offered them an opportunity to go back above Rangers.

Why Naderi has become more important to Rangers

BBC Sport reported that Naderi struggled to make an impact after joining from German third-tier club Hansa Rostock in February. It said he scored one league goal last season, alongside two in a League Cup win over Queen’s Park. His six goals this season and his recent winners against Motherwell and Celtic give a more concrete measure of his growing contribution than comparisons with other forwards.

His role has expanded while fellow forwards Lawrence Shankland and Youssef Chermiti have been injured, according to BBC Sport. The broadcaster also credited Naderi with three assists, including one in a late win over St Mirren, and reported that he made his Czech Republic debut during the international break before the Kilmarnock match. Those contributions extend beyond Saturday’s two finishes.

Former Rangers forward Peter Lovenkrands compared Naderi’s unorthodox style with Thomas Müller on BBC Sportsound. That was Lovenkrands’ assessment of how the striker creates chances, not a measure of what he has achieved. The firmer evidence of Naderi’s current form is his scoring record and his part in Rangers’ recent wins, including the derby victory and Saturday’s result.

What the Kilmarnock result leaves open

Rangers manager Derek McInnes welcomed reaching the top but acknowledged an uneven performance. Sky quoted him saying there were positives in the result while the display was ‘disjointed at times’. He praised his side’s clinical first half and said they did not keep putting the ball into the box often enough. McInnes also pointed to the extended international break as a factor in how the team played.

Sky reported that bottom club Kilmarnock passed up chances before Clescenco scored on a late counterattack. It recorded six shots on target for the visitors and four for Rangers. The goal also ended Rangers’ bid for a fifth successive league clean sheet. BBC Sport had reported just one league goal conceded in the five Premiership matches before Saturday, making the concession a change in a strong recent defensive record.

Saturday’s result establishes a winning run and a productive spell for Naderi. It does not establish how long either will last. Rangers’ next position in the standings depends first on Celtic’s scheduled Sunday match at Motherwell; their longer-term challenge depends on results still to come. For now, Naderi’s two goals have put Rangers in front, with the race still open.