Rangers held at Hearts in Premiership opener

Posted Saturday, August 03, 2024 by PA

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.