Rangers 1 Dundee 1: Late Tavernier penalty earns draw
James Tavernier came off the bench to score a late penalty and earn 10-man Rangers a 1-1 draw against Dundee but the Gers fans left Ibrox frustrated.
However, it was a step backwards against Steven Pressley's side, who took the lead in the 51st minute through a Ryan Astley header.
There was more Gers woe when defender Nasser Djiga was sent off but as the game moved into added time Gers captain Tavernier, a second-half substitute, levelled from the spot, after Drey Wright fouled Djeidi Gassama inside the box.
Gers striker Cyriel Dessers had the ball in the net in the seventh minute of added time only to be ruled offside, leaving the home side with two points from six.
Rangers will now prepare for the second leg of their Champions League qualifier in the Czech Republic on Tuesday night with less confidence than they had before they took on Dundee and knowing their poor start to the title race could be costly.
Martin made the bold decision to drop Tavernier and midfielder Nicolas Raskin for the game against Plzen and again they started on the bench for the unchanged Light Blues.
Striker Joe Westley, signed from Burnley on Tuesday, made his debut for Dundee while captain Simon Murray was out with a knee problem.
The game took some time to liven up and it was 15 minutes before Gassama found some space for the first time, racing onto a pass from Jefte before trying to find Dessers with his cut back inside the box but the Gers striker was quickly crowded out.
Midfielder Joe Rothwell fired wide from 25 yards moments later but at last the match was showing some signs of life.
Dundee's defending was diligent but they almost stole into the lead on the half hour following a corner, when Luke Graham found Clark Robertson with a cross and his header crashed off the post before Gers keeper Jack Butland gathered the ball.
The home side looked nervy when asked to defend and Robertson again glanced a header off a post but the offside flag was up, as were the anxiety levels among the home fans.
Gassama's trickery inside the box early in the second half allowed him to set up midfielder Mohamed Diomande but his shot was saved by Dundee keeper Jon McCracken.
Two minutes later, after Diomande conceded a foul 30 yards out, Callum Jones floated a free-kick into the Rangers box, Robertson got first contact and Astley looped a header over Butland, a VAR check confirming the goal.
To loud boos, Martin replaced Lyall Cameron and Diomande with Nicolas Raskin and Kieran Dowell and soon afterwards Djiga was sent packing by referee Don Robertson for denying Finlay Robertson a clear and obvious goalscoring opportunity by taking him out as he raced through towards the Gers goal.
Tavernier and Danilo came on for Rothwell and Max Aarons as Martin tried another route but there was little real danger of note until the 90th minute when Wright tangled legs with Gassama inside the box.
Tavernier sent McCracken the wrong way to set up a tense finish and there was more drama when Dessers drove into the net, only for VAR to rule offside.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Metro
an hour ago
- Metro
Chelsea interested in signing second Man Utd star after Alejandro Garnacho
Chelsea are interested in signing a second Manchester United star after Alejandro Garnacho, according to reports. Garnacho has already given the green light to a summer move to Stamford Bridge but Chelsea are yet to agree terms with their Premier League rivals. United are holding out for £50m for the Argentina international but Chelsea are reluctant to meet that price given Garnacho is in Ruben Amorim's 'bomb squad'. Not too long ago Garnacho was viewed as one of the most highly-rated players at Old Trafford but his career has stagnated. Amorim has instructed his bosses to offload the winger and was unhappy with comments Garnacho and his brother made following the Europa League final defeat to Tottenham. In The Mixer: Exclusive analysis, FPL tips and transfer talk sent straight to your inbox every week – sign up, it's an open goal. Garnacho was subsequently left out of United's pre-season tour of the States and has been training away from his teammates ahead of the 2025-26 campaign. Keen to remain in the Premier League and play for a Champions League club, Garnacho has already agreed personal terms in principle with Chelsea but is waiting for an agreement to be struck between the clubs. Chelsea are pursuing Garnacho despite already spending around £250m on new signings this summer. The Blues are also working on a deal for RB Leipzig playmaker Xavi Simons and remain interested in Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo. Chelsea have been repeatedly linked with a move for the England international over the past 12 months and The Sun say they are still 'waiting with open arms'. While not actively looking to sell Mainoo, United are struggling to tie the 20-year-old down to a new long-term contract. Mainoo enjoyed a breakout season at Old Trafford in 2023-24, earning a place in England's Euro 2024 squad and starting the final against Spain. But he was less influential last season and it has been suggested he could struggle for game-time in Amorim's system given the club's summer business. In an exclusive interview with Metro, ex-Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel urged his former club to poach both Mainoo and Garnacho from Manchester United. 'I like both of these players,' he said. 'I have no idea what the issue is with Garnacho and Ruben Amorim because for me he is one of the best players at United. 'The squad is what it is, and you want to get rid of Garnacho. Really? I can't see the sense in that because every time he plays he is a threat. 'The issue is probably the defensive side of his game but that is something you have to work with a young player on. To change their mentality to make sure their defensive responsibilities are taken seriously. 'With Kobbie Mainoo, maybe they feel they need to cash in on him to raise the funds. Maybe he did not have the season we all expected from him last season, he looked a shadow of the player he was when he first burst onto the scene. 'Again, I have no idea what the issue has been. The system, the manager? Is he not happy with the environment at the football club? 'There are so many factors you have to look at right now with Manchester United. If those are two players Chelsea want, I will take those two, definitely. 'They can only come in and improve us as a football club. I know if they come in, they will improve us as a team.' Manchester United legend Gary Neville, meanwhile, believes it is imperative that the Red Devils keep hold of Mainoo and 'build a team' around the youngster. 'Mainoo, no. That's a step too far,' the eight-time Premier League winner argued. 'If we can't give Kobbie Mainoo a job in that two in midfield… I look at Mainoo and the way he plays football and I think a top club would want him. More Trending 'Why can't we make him a top player? If he's one of ours and he's shown talent. I don't know what's gone on there in the last few months. 'He's obviously had some injuries which has caused him a problem so he needs to stay fit, but I'd like to think he could be one of that two in midfield that Ruben Amorim plays. 'It's probably not Casemiro as his partner and it's probably not Ugarte as his partner, it's probably someone else in there who is better than those two, if I'm being honest. 'But we should be building around Kobbie Mainoo in central midfield and not because he's come through the ranks.' For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. MORE: Brighton respond to Man Utd's player-plus-cash offer for Carlos Baleba MORE: PSG set transfer fee for Man Utd to sign Gianluigi Donnarumma MORE: Man City tell Tottenham how much it will cost them to sign 'incredible' winger
Glasgow Times
an hour ago
- Glasgow Times
Viktoria Plzen vs Rangers to be shown live by broadcaster
The Swedish broadcaster announced it will be showing the match, previously thought to be exclusively available through Rangers TV for international subscribers. Fans will need to purchase a pass to watch the game on Solidsport's website. Coverage will begin at the 6pm kick-off time. In other news, Rangers will be without Mikey Moore, Thelo Aasgaard, and Hamza Igamane for tomorrow's game. However, manager Russell Martin hopes to have them back for Saturday's League Cup clash against Alloa Athletic. Read more: Martin said: "Mikey will be registered in time for Saturday, so he'll be there. "I think all three of them will be in the squad on Saturday, all being well this week, but not tomorrow night." The manager also had a message for his players, as they prepare for their match against Viktoria Plzen, who need to fight back from a 3-0 deficit. Mr Martin said: "Goals change ties and games and all that stuff, but we have to start the game really well ourselves. "They have, I guess, a nothing-to-lose approach. "You can approach it in that way in this game. "So we have to be really ready for that." He praised the team's response to adversity, particularly how they handled being reduced to 10 men against Panathinaikos. Mr Martin said: "I loved the way the players responded to that. "I really enjoyed the way the players responded to going down to 10 men on Saturday. "I've not seen a game look like that with 10 against 11 where you wouldn't have known if you're watching the game. "So I really commend the players for that. "So they are showing togetherness, that has to keep growing and keep building, and the spirit has to keep growing and building."
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
There's trouble brewing in Plzen... and it will be knives out for Russell Martin if Rangers' domestic woes transfer to the European arena
In a city which features one of the most famous breweries in Europe, Rangers fans arrive in Plzen feeling like their glass may already be half-empty. Despite the fact they hold a commanding 3-0 lead over Viktoria Plzen following last week's emphatic first-leg victory in Glasgow, the feeling of pessimism among supporters cannot be overstated. The league campaign is threatening to go down the drain after only two games, with an insipid 1-1 draw with Dundee on Saturday following on from an equally woeful display at Motherwell on the opening weekend. Taking only two points from the opening two games, Russell Martin has a serious problem on his hands. Hardly the most popular appointment in the first place, whatever goodwill he had is evaporating by mid-August. With his new-look team toiling so badly on the domestic front, the European campaign now takes on even greater significance for Martin as he and his players look to finish the job tonight in the Czechia. Rangers have never won before in the country formerly known as the Czech Republic. In seven previous visits here, they have lost four times and scored only two goals. But they need not concern themselves with matters of the past. The reality is that they don't need to win in Plzen tonight. They have already put themselves in pole position thanks to their efforts last week. The fact they hold such a handsome lead will bring a level of intrigue as to how Martin sets his team out. Does he ask them to be streetwise and defensively sound, or will he continue asking his players to dominate the ball? Towards the end of last week's game in Glasgow, it was noticeable just how much higher Plzen were pressing Rangers — and having a fair amount of joy in doing do — in the second half as opposed to the first half. If Rangers were to concede an early goal tonight and start taking needless risks at the back, the knives that some fans have sharpened for the new manager would be out in force. When Martin took the job a couple of months ago at time when the club was going through some major structural changes under new ownership, there was a feeling that the European games would come too soon. Such was the huge turnover of players and new faces to be bedded into the squad, there was almost an acceptance that the Champions League qualifiers would bring some early pain under Martin. Going up against inferior opponents deploying a low block, it would be the domestic scene in Scotland which would prove more fruitful to Martin's brand of ultra-heavy possession-based football. That was the theory, at least. Yet, in reality, the opposite has been true. Rangers have one foot in the play-off round, with a potential tie against Club Brugge or Red Bull Salzburg to come, whilst they have yet to fire a shot domestically. That Rangers have something of a split personality between their domestic form and their continental exploits is not a revelation. It has plagued previous occupants of the Ibrox dugout in recent years. But with some fans already beginning to turn against him even at such an early juncture, Europe already looks like it might be Martin's saving grace and his best chance of getting some credit in the bank. If he can go on to secure Champions League football — and nobody would be foolish to believe Brugge or Salzburg represents anything but tough opposition — it would be a major feather in his cap. However, if Rangers were to falter and drop back into the Europa League, Martin's critics would only grow louder and stronger in number. That may seem harsh for a guy who is only five minutes in the door, but that's the reality of what happens when a club appoint a manager whom very few fans wanted. Patience is already wearing thin among some supporters with regards to Martin's team selection. The manager continues to back guys like Kieran Dowell despite it being obvious long ago that he is patently not at the level required of a Rangers player. Martin says that he wants to give players a clean slate and a chance to prove themselves. But, in the case of Dowell, Danilo and certain others, you simply can't ignore the body of evidence against them. More curious is Martin's deployment of Nico Raskin. Benched for the last two games, concern is growing among fans that the Belgian midfielder may become restless and unsettled. Still the subject of interest from across the continent, and with a price tag of between £15m-£20m on his head, Martin explained last night how Raskin's head had been turned during the summer. Whilst praising him for since regathering his focus, his integration into the same team as Joe Rothwell still looks to be a slightly awkward business. Raskin is at his best when he is playing as the single pivot at the base of midfield, the position which Rothwell has occupied since his arrival in the summer. Whether or not they can both play in the same midfield long-term, only time will tell. But Martin was adamant that the club's intention is to keep Raskin beyond the end of the summer transfer window. Plzen has been a picture of baking-hot sunshine over the past couple of days. With so much at stake, and with the need for results now so pointed, Rangers dare not melt under pressure tonight. The expectation from the Czechs is that they will make a fast start and seek to put Martin's new-look side under the cosh, something they failed to do until they were 3-0 down last week. In the previous round, Plzen were 2-0 down on aggregate before clicking into gear and beating Servette away in Switzerland. They are no mugs, but nor are they world beaters. Only last year, Hearts lost 1-0 here in a Europa League qualifier which saw them blow several good chances. The reality for Rangers is that they don't need to go chasing this game. They don't need a bucketload of chances or to dominate possession. What they and Martin need is a professional, polished performance to secure their place in the play-off round. If they can do that, the new manager buys himself some breathing space. However, if the unthinkable were to happen and Rangers were to somehow blow it, it won't just be the local brewery here in Plzen that's calling last orders.
