South African defender Olwethu Makhanya produced a solid defensive performance as Rangers returned to winning ways with a convincing 4-0 victory over St Johnstone in the Scottish Premiership.

The result gave Rangers a significant boost in the league standings, moving them into second place and leaving them just one point behind leaders Celtic, according to the supplied match update.

Makhanya featured for the full 90 minutes and helped his side keep a clean sheet in a match where Rangers also demonstrated their attacking strength by scoring four goals.

The Bafana Bafana defender recorded 79 touches and completed 54 of his 63 attempted passes, giving him a passing accuracy of 86%. His distribution included seven successful passes into the final third from 10 attempts, while he registered three progressive passes from nine attempts.

Makhanya also contributed one key pass, showing his involvement in helping Rangers move the ball forward in addition to his defensive responsibilities.

His work without the ball was another notable part of the performance. The defender recorded 11 recoveries and two interceptions, helping Rangers regain possession and limit St Johnstone’s opportunities.

He further contributed three clearances and one outfielder block as Rangers completed the match without conceding a goal.

Makhanya received a match rating of 7.2 out of 10, reflecting a steady outing in a victory that could prove important as the Scottish Premiership campaign continues.

For the South African international, the performance offered another opportunity to demonstrate his defensive capabilities in Scottish football. Playing the entire match and helping secure a clean sheet will also be encouraging for a defender seeking to maintain consistency at club level.

Rangers’ four-goal victory was particularly significant in the title race, with the club now positioned just one point behind Celtic in the standings. That narrow gap keeps the pressure on the league leaders and gives Rangers an opportunity to strengthen their challenge in the coming fixtures.

With the season progressing, performances from defenders such as Makhanya could be important as Rangers look to build momentum and remain in contention at the top of the table.

Source: https://x.com/a_b_ditlhobolo/status/2114028735997350311?s=46