RANGERS were held to a 1-1 draw by Dundee United at Tannadice this afternoon.
United were ahead in the first-half through a Ross Graham header, and while Gers equalised 15 minutes from time through Joe Aribo, they couldn’t find the winner despite their best efforts.
From the team which came through 4-2 at Borussia Dortmund in Thursday’s UEFA Europa League match, Fil Helander came into the side today in place of Borna Barisic.
That meant it was a back five of Allan McGregor in goal with James Tavernier, Connor Goldson, Helander and Calvin Bassey in front of him.
Jon Lundstram, Ryan Jack and Aribo were in the middle of the park, while Ryan Kent and Scott Arfield played in support of Alfredo Morelos.
Jon McLaughlin missed out today with a virus whilst Aaron Ramsey and Leon Balogun had minor knocks. All three players will return to the group during the week.
Rangers battled for and won control of the match in the early minutes, and only a super block from Ryan Edwards prevented Kent from getting a shot away when he danced a path into the area.
Gers had a big claim for a penalty when the ball bounced up and onto the arm of Graham, while Morelos was denied by Benjamin Siegrist at the end of a sweeping counter from the Light Blues that was led by Kent.
Tavernier volleyed over a Morelos lay-off from just inside the area, while the skipper had another effort wide when he burst into the area from the right.
He then made a fine block at the other end from Ilmari Niskanen as United threatened for the first time, but it was to be United who took the lead on 29 minutes as Graham worked space in the area to head in a corner.
Despite Gers’ best efforts, they couldn’t get the equaliser before the break, and it was actually United who had the first chance of the second half – McGregor denying Marc McNulty at the front post.
Siegrist then somehow denied Goldson from point-blank range from a Tavernier corner, while sub Fashion Jr couldn’t net the rebound as he was having his jersey held in the act of trying to score.
Morelos then couldn’t turn home when Fashion Jr slid one across the face of goal, and likewise, a Kent ball across goal couldn’t be put in by a blue jersey.
It was becoming a more and more difficult afternoon for the Light Blues as the minutes kept passing, but with 15 minutes to go, the equaliser arrived.
Calvin Bassey did superbly to get the byline and cut the ball back for the incoming Joe Aribo to blast into the roof of the net for 1-1.
That sounded the bugle for Rangers, who were all over United. Amad was denied by Siegrist, while Mulgrew made a super block to get a Jack effort away.
Kent dragged a great effort from distance just wide, and Fashion Jr couldn’t connect to an Amad ball in the six-yard box.
A Fashion Jr cross came back off the bar in injury time as Gers continued to threaten, but 1-1 was how it was to end.
RANGERS: McGregor, Tavernier, Goldson, Helander (Amad, 73), Bassey, Jack, Lundstram, Aribo, Arfield (Fashion Jr, 58), Kent, Morelos.
SUBS NOT USED: McCrorie, Zukowski, Barisic, Davis, Kamara, Sands, Roofe.
DUNDEE UNITED: Siegrist, Smith, Mulgrew, Niskanen, McNulty, Edwards, Butcher (Freeman, 80), Levitt, Harkes, Graham, Watt (Clark, 85)
SUBS NOT USED: Eriksson, Akinola, Meekison, Neilson, Mochrie, Moore, Macleod.
REFEREE: Bobby Madden
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