Rangers anticipation grows as Hearts-Celtic moment rouses Ibrox as well as new signings
Dogged Dundee put to one side as title charge mounts
A near full house of over 51,000, the performance of a pair of new signings to appraise over a pint and the knowledge that 45 miles or so to the east in Edinburgh two title rivals had cut each other’s throats, life seemed very sweet for Rangers fans after this vital victory over in-form Dundee. Anticipation of what’s potentially to come was almost palpable as the home fans streamed out of Ibrox. It was notable that nearly everyone stayed until then end and they were rewarded for doing so too.
Belief is rising in Govan even if excitement levels from what is happening on the pitch are not. It took news from Tynecastle that Hearts had pegged back Celtic at 2-2 to really rouse the natives and Rangers responded with two late goals to augment a 1-0 lead that was proving hard work to maintain.
A sixth successive league win and fifth clean sheet is not to be sniffed at. The fans certainly enjoyed Danilo’s goal in time added on since it secured the points with Rangers beginning to live dangerously as they sought to hold on to the lead James Tavernier’s 100th league goal had given them right at the start of the second half from the penalty spot. An even later third from Danilo’s fellow substitute Djeidi Gassama put more gloss on the scoreline.
It equalled Rangers’ biggest margin of victory in the league. They registered previous 3-0 wins over the same Dens Park side as well as Kilmarnock earlier in the season. All have come under manager Danny Rohl’s increasingly impressive watch.
In truth, this wasn’t nearly as comprehensive as it sounds but Rangers gained everything they needed to continue this once unthinkable tilt at the championship. After that late equaliser at Tynecastle only Hearts are currently in front of Rangers. As it stands the Ibrox side have two more points than Celtic and perhaps significantly, following the late brace of goals here, they are two ahead of their rivals on goal difference. In a season like this one, it could matter.
Still, hanging on against Dundee is not necessarily the mark of champions and that’s what Rangers were doing as the minutes ticked down towards the 90. The crowd was getting anxious, Dundee danger man Simon Murray was on and it seemed likely the visitors would get one more chance to grab an equaliser, which they might even have deserved for sheer dogged persistence.
They didn’t, however, worry goalkeeper Jack Butland enough in the final analysis. A headed chance for the highly rated defender Luke Graham, who was again excellent, in the first half after winger Tony Yogane had got the better of Tavernier was perhaps the best of the few openings created. However, the ball skimmed off Graham’s head and went well wide.
Assured Rangers debuts
The hosts handed debuts to a pair of new signings who are certainly helping stir the sense that Rangers can yet secure something tangible from a season that began so miserably. Andreas Skov Olsen and Tochi Chukwuani enjoyed assured debuts with perhaps the latter showing up slightly better. He ought to have ornamented this maiden appearance with a goal having been put through by Thelo Aasgaard but Jon McCracken blocked with his legs. Both Skov Olsen and Chukwuani were substituted eight minutes into the second half by Gassama and Mohamed Diomande respectively.
The new signings had combined in the first half to score a goal that was disallowed due to offside earlier with Skov Olsen crossing for Chukwuani to score with a stooping header. He was ruled offside after a surprisingly long VAR delay, which indicated there might still be a tech problem inside the ground.
Kick-off was around five minutes late due to a communication problem between referee Kevin Clancy and his support team. This was met with some good humour initially and then growing frustration. The same could be said for Rangers’ efforts to break Dundee down in the opening half. As well as the Chukwuani chance, McCracken had to beat away an effort from Aasgaard. Manny Fernandez, meanwhile, hooked wide on the stroke of half time.
Rangers made much swifter work of spearing Dundee in the second half and won a penalty just 50 seconds in when Ryan Astley was adjudged to have felled Nico Raskin while the Rangers player was in the process of shooting. Tavernier stepped up to do what he does although McCracken got his finger tips to the ball. What a player Tavernier has proved over the years. His contribution looked set to be an extra precious one here since it was all that was standing between three points and one.
The clock had just ticked into the red – four minutes of time added on had been signalled – when Dundee debutant Joe Bevan, who’d looked lively after coming with 20 minutes left, made a slack pass in his own half that was cut out by Danilo, who ran on and beat McCracken from just inside the box. Gassama wrapped things up with seconds left when curling in from a similar position after Raskin’s lofted pass. Everything to play for, then.
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