Rangers suffered the earliest of setbacks to their William Hill Premiership title hopes by dropping two points in a 0-0 draw against Hearts at Tynecastle.
Gers boss Philippe Clement on Friday extended his contract at Ibrox until 2028 after making nine new signings but midfielder Connor Barron was the only one making his first start for the club in the opening game of the league season.
It was a battle for most of the afternoon with both sides hitting the woodwork but neither could get the breakthrough.
It was not the start Rangers wanted in their battle to wrest the title back from Celtic and they will need to improve greatly for their Champions League first leg qualifier against Dynamo Kyiv on Tuesday, a fixture which offers no respite.
For the league season curtain raiser, new signings Yan Dhanda, James Penrice and Gerald Taylor started for the home side while Malachi Boateng, recruited on Saturday morning from Crystal Palace, was on the bench and was introduced later in the game.
There was a familiar look about the visitors and Rangers’ unconvincing pre-season meant the small band of travelling fans arrived in the Gorgie sunshine with some trepidation.
Jambos skipper Lawrence Shankland, regularly linked with the Ibrox club in recent months, had an early drive saved by Gers goalkeeper Jack Butland, who then had to make a better save from Penrice’s shot after he burst into the Light Blues penalty area.
The Edinburgh side looked the more dangerous and in the 13th minute Dhanda’s deflected strike from 22 yards crashed off the Rangers crossbar.
Then, out of the blue, Rangers flexed.
Barron’s vicious 25-yard drive was brilliantly tipped past the post by Zander Clark before Ibrox striker Cyriel Dessers lobbed the Tynecastle keeper from close range but missed the target.
A vociferous Hearts penalty claim in the 32nd minute when Barron appeared to block a Dhanda cross with his arm inside the box was ignored by referee Nick Walsh and his officials.
At the other end, Dessers took a pass from left-back Ridvan Yilmaz and fired in a decent shot which Clark blocked.
Colombia attacker Oscar Cortes, who extended his loan in the summer from Lens with the Ibrox club having an obligation to buy next year, started for the first time since being injured in February.
However, he picked up another injury just before the break and managed only three minutes of the second half before he had to be replaced by Rabbi Matondo.
The Govan side came close to getting the breakthrough in the 52nd minutes when Dessers headed a Yilmaz cross against the bar. Again, he probably should have scored.
After winger Vaclav Cerny replaced Scott Wright to make his Gers debut, Clark produced a top-class save from Tom Lawrence’s long-distance drive.
Blair Spittal replaced Dhanda in the 64th minute to make his Hearts debut before Butland thwarted Shankland with a save at his near post after the Hearts striker had carved open a chance.
The Jambos worked their way back into the game, making Rangers defend a series of crosses, corners and shots before they too had a spell of pressure, but in the end both sides had to settle for a point.
Interim boss Stephen Frail expects Motherwell to appoint a new manager next week and admits their first job will be to lift the players’ confidence after a 3-0 mauling at home to Ross County.A double from Ronan Hale and Connor Randall’s last-minute strike secured an impressive victory for the Staggies at Fir Park.Defeat sees the Steelmen drop into the bottom half of the Premiership tab...
Mark Hughes heaped praise on goalkeeper Gabe Breeze after Carlisle picked up a vital point in the League Two relegation battle with a goalless draw against in-form Colchester at Brunton Park.Breeze made two excellent saves from Lyle Taylor as the Cumbrians ended a four-game losing run and the former Man City boss was astounded by the 21-year-old’s performance.He said: “The game had som...
Chesterfield boss Paul Cook launched a scathing attack on his play-off hopefuls after they surrendered an early lead to lose 3-1 at Sky Bet League Two table-toppers Walsall.The Spireites enjoyed a rapid start when Jamie Grimes’ eighth-minute header put them ahead against a wobbling Walsall side, who were winless in five matches with the chasing pack closing in.However, Bim Pepple and Dylan D...
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has allayed fears of an injury scare to top scorer Erling Haaland ahead of next week’s Champions League trip to Real Madrid.Haaland went down clutching his leg in the latter stages of the champions’ 4-0 Premier League thrashing of Newcastle at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday and was immediately substituted.Losing the Norwegian would be a major blow to ...
Rotherham manager Steve Evans described Thomas Parsons’ performance as “atrocious” after the referee awarded a stoppage-time penalty from which Reading snatched a 2-1 victory in League One.Reading had led 1-0 at half-time through top scorer Harvey Knibbs but Sam Nombe levelled for Rotherham from a spot-kick in the 57th minute.With the game heading for a draw, Parsons adjudged Mil...
Michael Flynn believes his team can make a charge towards the League Two play-offs places after watching them come from 2-0 down to beat Barrow 3-2 at home.Matty Taylor scored twice before fellow substitute Ashley Hay hit the winner as the Robins continued their perfect home record in 2025.Cheltenham climbed to 13th in the table and sit eight points off seventh-placed Crewe with two games in hand....
Birmingham manager Chris Davies praised Jay Stansfield’s work ethic after he lit up St Andrew’s with the only goal of a 1-0 win to sink play-off chasing Charlton.Stansfield’s 23rd-minute strike stretched City’s lead to nine points ahead of second-placed Wycombe, with Blues boasting a game in hand.Victory was City’s 30th in all competitions as they extended their unbea...
Andoni Iraola refused to get carried away after Bournemouth fans were left dreaming of a potential Champions League adventure following a first league double over south-coast rivals Southampton.Travelling Cherries fans chanted of playing in European football’s premier competition next season after their side soared to fifth spot in the Premier League table thanks to a deserved 3-1 success at...
Norwich head coach Johannes Hoff Thorup praised his side for fighting back to draw 1-1 at Hull after he demanded “I want to see my football team back”.The Norwich boss had some tough words for his team as they trailed 1-0 at half-time to the relegation-threatened side, including for Kellen Fisher – but the player then delivered the assist for Josh Sargent’s equaliser.The Un...
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers says Jota has a chance of starting against Bayern Munich after scoring and impressing in a 3-0 victory over Dundee United.Jota earned the club’s man-of-the-match award after cutting in from the left and curling home from 18 yards to double the lead given to the hosts by another impressive finish from Callum McGregor.The Portuguese winger has now started two gam...
