It seems everyone connected with Rangers Football Club brought their shooting boots to the party this weekend.
As Steven Gerrard’s side battered Hamilton Academical 8-0 in a thrashing even more dominant than the lopsided scoreline suggests, a striker also heavily linked with a move to Ibrox in recent months showcased some lethal finishing of his own.
In fact, Sekou Gassama managed to do what Kemar Roofe, Joe Aribo and James Tavernier didn’t.
He turned a brace into a hat-trick.
After sweeping home a penalty and tapping in a second during Fuenlabrada’s 3-0 win at Alcorcon, Gassama completed his treble from close range as he clipped a clinical third over the advancing goalkeeper.
It was the sort of predatory, penalty-box poaching that convinced Rangers to make a £2.7 million bid for Gassama’s services (Tuttomercatoweb).
However, the Glasgow giants turned their attention to Roofe instead and, after scoring twice himself against a sorry Hamilton side, few inside Ibrox will regret that decision.
The ever-demanding Gerrard was full of praise for the former Leeds United hotshot after the game – and with good reason.
55-yard wondergoals in the Europa League are one thing but clinical, close-range finishes are a striker’s bread and butter. And, in the absence of Alfredo Morelos, Roofe made sure he got his fill.
With Roofe, Morelos, Cedric Itten and Jermain Defoe all fighting for a place, Rangers can afford to forget all about Gassama – hat-trick or no hat-trick.
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