Report as Rangers draw with Dundee United; Sam Dalby fired United ahead with Robin Propper's 'equaliser' ruled out; Vaclav Cerny made it 1-1 after the break and had another 'goal' disallowed; Rangers remain third in the Scottish Premiership with United three points behind them
Saturday 23 November 2024 22:41, UK
Rangers came from behind to salvage a point in a 1-1 draw with Dundee United as the pressure on manager Philippe Clement intensified.
Kick-off was delayed at Ibrox after issues caused by Storm Bert held up United's arrival, but the visitors were not fazed as they weathered some early pressure before Sam Dalby fired them ahead.
The boos rang around Ibrox as the hosts pushed for an equaliser before the break, with Robin Propper's effort ruled out for a handball in the build-up.
Vaclav Cerny was again Rangers' star player and levelled the scores with a curling shot before he had another 'goal' disallowed for offside.
Danilo wasted a brilliant chance, while Jack Walton produced a brilliant double save to deny Ianis Hagi and Propper late on, before keeping Hamza Igamane's stoppage-time strike out.
Rangers remain third in the Scottish Premiership table and are 11 points behind leaders Celtic after they won at Hearts. Jim Goodwin's United side are still three points behind Clement's team in fourth.
Goodwin's pre-match plan was to "create some nervous tension" and use the Rangers fans to their advantage, and his players followed his orders as the jeers grew louder at Ibrox throughout the match.
The hosts side came close early on through Nicolas Raskin and Nedim Bajrami who both forced good saves from Walton.
But it was United who took the lead when Dalby was left unmarked in the box and he met a pinpoint cross from Vicko Sevelj to head past Jack Butland and make it 1-0.
Kai Fotheringham and David Babunski had chances to increase United's lead before Rangers had the ball in the net at the end of the half through Propper, but the goal was ruled out for a Connor Barron handball.
Clement made a couple of changes at half-time as he brought on Hagi and Danilo in the place of Mohamed Diomande and Cyriel Dessers as he looked for a spark to get back into the game.
Danilo wasted a brilliant chance when Cerny burst through the United defence before cutting it back to the Brazilian forward whose effort was wide of the post when he would have been expecting to hit the target.
Cerny's curling shot from outside the box then sailed just over the bar before Rangers' second-half pressure finally paid off as the winger grabbed the goal to make it 1-1 with 25 minutes remaining.
Walton saved at the feet of Danilo before Cerny had ball in the net but was clearly yards offside.
Rangers came close to snatching a second in the 86th minute when Walton parried a long-distance drive from Hagi before Danilo's follow-up shot was blocked and the United 'keeper then made a desperate save at close range from Propper.
Walton made a fine save from Gers substitute Igamane in added time, but, yet again, Rangers came up short, their fans venting their disapproval as their beleaguered boss limps on.
Rangers manager Philippe Clement:
"It's very frustrating to lose these points, especially after the second half that the team played.
"I was not satisfied with the first-half performance, which had the feeling of a 0-0, but they took their one chance which made it difficult for us.
"In the second half, I saw what I want to see from my team - the domination, the chances, the aggression, and the strong defending. They only thing that was missing was the second goal and it's so, so frustrating to lose two points because we've already dropped too many points this season.
"We had some players who were not good enough today, not brave enough today. We need to show much more of what we showed in the second half. I'm going to be very harsh on that."
Dundee United manager Jim Goodwin:
"Given the circumstances before the game, what the players have had to deal with, it was a real test of character and I'm really pleased that we've come away from a very difficult venue with a really valuable point.
"We defended our box brilliantly, with one small lapse, and Jack Walton absolutely deserves special mention for two really big saves in that second half, particularly that one in the dying moments of the game.
"We are slightly disappointed not to have taken all three points given the manner of the goal we conceded - a really well-worked goal from Rangers, but the kind of move we'd talked about before the game, particularly with Cerny.
"Unfortunately we just switched off in that moment, lacked a bit of concentration and conceded a very good goal."
