Rangers experienced a stark contrast to their European campaign as they drew 1-1 with Dundee in the Scottish Premiership at Ibrox, requiring a stoppage-time penalty from James Tavernier to avoid defeat. The encounter, which stretched into extra time, featured a red card for Rangers defender Nasser Djiga and a deserved lead for the visitors shortly after halftime.
Dundee seized the opportunity presented by Rangers' inconsistent start. Ryan Astley capitalized on a set-piece situation, heading the ball into his own net to give the visitors the lead just after the interval. Rangers struggled to impose themselves, despite dominating possession in large parts of the game. Their frustrations boiled over in the 59th minute when Nasser Djiga received a straight red card for denying Finlay Robertson a clear goalscoring opportunity.
Despite the numerical advantage and continued dominance, Rangers couldn't find the net until the dying moments. James Tavernier converted the spot-kick following a challenge by Drey Wright on Djedi Gassama. The penalty looked set to secure all three points, but Cyriel Dessers' subsequent shot was correctly flagged offside, ensuring the match went beyond 90 minutes.
The result marks only the second draw in Rangers' history for their opening two league matches, a significant improvement from their European adventure. However, head coach Russell Martin acknowledged the need for greater aggression from his players, stating, "We just didn't have enough aggression or energy in the team in the first 60 minutes." He added that the challenge against a well-organized Dundee side required a different approach than their previous match, emphasizing the need for "more aggressive play" with the ball.
Dundee manager Steven Pressley was full of praise for his team's performance, while Rangers now look ahead to their Champions League qualifier against Viktoria Plzen, hoping the learning curve from Saturday's fixture proves beneficial.
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