Shankland Double Earns Rangers Win Over Falkirk Amid Transfer Window Pressure

Lawrence Shankland scored twice to earn Rangers a 2-1 Scottish Premiership victory over Falkirk on Wednesday. The win gave manager Derek McInnes his second consecutive league victory following an uncertain start to the domestic campaign and a busy transfer period for the Glasgow club.

Shankland opened the scoring with a left-footed strike into the top corner before Falkirk responded. After later dragging a low effort wide, the Scotland international striker secured the victory with a second left-footed shot guided into the bottom corner late in the match.

Shankland Decisive in Falkirk

The performance was Shankland’s second match-winning display in four days, following a decisive penalty against Aberdeen at Pittodrie. Shankland, who joined Rangers from Hearts in May after scoring 60 goals over three seasons in Edinburgh, has registered three goals in four league matches this season. Opposing manager John McGlynn praised the striker’s impact, stating, “If Lawrence Shankland is in a navy blue jersey, we win the game tonight.”

Rangers manager Derek McInnes highlighted the forward’s composure following his earlier missed opportunity. “The calmness of Lawrence, the quality comes up with a big moment,” McInnes said, noting that the forward had experienced pressure early in the season as the team struggled for early momentum.

Raskin Returns Amid Rejected Bids

The match also marked the return of Belgian international midfielder Nicolas Raskin to the Rangers starting lineup. Raskin had been left out of the squad for the previous two matches amid transfer speculation linking him with a move away from Ibrox. Earlier on Wednesday, Rangers rejected a loan offer for the player from Turkish club Besiktas.

Raskin played a direct role in Rangers’ opening goal by regaining possession deep in his own half to initiate the attack. Speaking after the match, McInnes expressed relief at being able to field the midfielder, saying, “I’m just glad I’m able to choose Nico tonight.” The manager added that he expects Raskin to remain at the club beyond the closing of the transfer window.

Squad Overhaul and Incoming Moves

The match took place against the backdrop of significant squad changes at Ibrox. On the day of the game, Rangers accepted a £1 million loan bid from Belgian outfit Anderlecht for Norwegian midfielder Thelo Aasgaard. The club has brought in 12 new players during the summer transfer window and is expected to complete the signing of forward Kevin Kelsy from Major League Soccer side Portland Timbers.

McInnes publicly criticized the scheduling of competitive matches so close to the final hours of the transfer window, describing the period as chaotic for player preparation. “It seems to have been the longest window I can remember,” McInnes said, adding that closing the window would allow his revamped squad to settle down for the remainder of the year.

Background

Rangers entered the match following a turbulent start to the season under new manager Derek McInnes, who moved from Hearts alongside captain Lawrence Shankland during the summer. Early league dropped points were compounded by a European exit, where Rangers were eliminated in a penalty shootout by Czech club Jablonec. The ongoing squad overhaul has seen 12 new arrivals as the club seeks to re-establish stability in domestic and continental competitions.