Clement Praises Rangers' Well-Deserved Victory Over Dundee Despite Missed Opportunities

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Philippe Clement expressed satisfaction with Rangers' 1-0 triumph over Dundee, though he felt the team could have secured a more decisive victory. Vaclav Cerny netted the decisive goal in the 46th minute, capitalising on Danilo's pass to bypass Trevor Carson and score his tenth goal of the season. Despite the win, Rangers had several missed opportunities that could have extended their lead.

The match saw Rangers hit the woodwork twice in each half. Ianis Hagi and James Tavernier both had long-range shots that struck the goal frame before halftime. After Cerny's goal, Hamza Igamane had a shot cleared off the line and later hit the underside of the bar from close range. Cyriel Dessers narrowly missed adding a second goal during stoppage time.

Clement acknowledged that while they created good chances, securing a second goal would have diminished Dundee's hopes. "We had good chances, but you need the second goal to kill the belief of the opponent, that's what we missed today. We had enough opportunities for that," he told BBC Scotland.

Despite missing additional goals, Clement highlighted the importance of securing three points and praised their defensive efforts. "The important thing is the three points, and it was well deserved. Defensively, we did a good job," he said. He also mentioned their desire to score more goals for their fans but noted that hitting the crossbar hindered them.

Jack Butland was unexpectedly absent from the starting lineup despite being initially named as goalkeeper and participating in pre-match warm-ups. Liam Kelly replaced him on a day when Dundee managed only one shot on target. Clement clarified that Butland's absence was due to personal reasons rather than an injury.

"People don't need to worry; it was for personal reasons," Clement explained regarding Butland's absence. "He will be back for the next game. He probably doesn't want me to tell people [why he was absent]."

The victory moved Rangers up to second place in the table as Aberdeen continued their winless streak for six games. However, Clement remained focused on improving their finishing to ensure more comfortable wins in future matches.