Derek McInnes failed to get off to a winning start as Rangers drew 1-1 with Dundee United at Tannadice, extending the club’s opening-day winless run to four years.
Lachlan Rose put the hosts in front late in the first half before Thelo Aasgaard levelled with a powerful left-foot finish 10 minutes after the restart. United’s Jesse Randall then passed up a glorious chance to win it late on, fluffing his lines with only the goalkeeper to beat.
McInnes joins a line of Rangers managers who have stumbled on the opening day. Michael Beale lost his first game at Kilmarnock, while Philippe Clement and Russell Martin drew with Hearts and Motherwell respectively. The new man had hoped his history with the club would spare him a similar fate.
Rocky start
Rangers did not control enough of the game, did not create enough chances and were sloppy in front of goal. They looked unsure of themselves throughout a difficult evening, and McInnes now faces a quick turnaround before Thursday’s Europa League qualifier against Polish side Jagiellonia.
United, managed by Jim Goodwin, had genuine reason for confidence coming in. Neither Rangers nor Celtic won at Tannadice last season, and four of their League Cup group-stage matches had put competitive minutes in legs, despite an embarrassing slip against Montrose.
Goodwin started six summer signings, including Rose, who had already scored three times in those early run-outs. McInnes, on his return to the ground where he spent three years as a player, selected four of his eight new signings from the off: goalkeeper Ivor Pandur, Ben Godfrey, Cammy Devlin and Lawrence Shankland, the new club captain.
United’s opener
The match was feisty from the start, with Emmanuel Agyei and Devlin particularly combative in the midfield battle. Rangers went long to Shankland and Ryan Naderi repeatedly but the pair did not win enough aerial challenges to gain a foothold in the final third.
The opening goal came with a rare piece of quality from United. Joshua Rawlins played a crisp pass to Randall, whose cross was cleverly stepped over by Zac Sapsford, taking Godfrey out of the game. From five yards, Rose almost stumbled over the ball but got just enough purchase on it to find the far corner. The goal involved three Australians and a New Zealander.
It was a significant blow for Rangers. In the previous 15 games where United had scored first, the home side had not lost.
Aasgaard levels
McInnes responded at half-time by withdrawing the ineffective Naderi and Djeidi Gassama, sending on Youssef Chermiti and Dan Neil. Neil’s first contribution was a booking for a late challenge on Agyei, but Chermiti’s impact was more positive, allowing Rangers to get United facing their own goal.
The equaliser arrived when Shankland and Michael Forbes contested an aerial ball on the edge of the box. The United defender inadvertently headed the ball across goal and into Aasgaard’s path. The Norwegian’s left-foot strike was clean and emphatic, whistling into the far corner past the helpless Jack Walton.
Rangers belatedly found their rhythm and their passing range, and United were left to hang on after Rose departed with what appeared to be a muscle strain.
Late let-off
United should have wrapped it up when substitute Daniel Bennie played an outstanding cross-field pass to Randall, but the forward’s attempt to chip Pandur was well off the mark. Chermiti worked Walton with a low strike at the other end but could not find a way through.
Mohamed Diomande appealed for a penalty in the dying seconds but referee Nick Walsh was unmoved. Over the piece, a share of the spoils was a fair result, though Rangers will need significant improvement before facing Jagiellonia in Poland.
