Rangers Draw with Dundee United in McInnes' First Match

Thelo Aasgaard spared Derek McInnes a losing start to life as Rangers manager, dragging his new side to a 1-1 draw at Tannadice after Dundee United had threatened to spoil the opening night of the Scottish Premiership season.

McInnes’ first competitive game in charge began with a jolt. Dundee United, sharp and purposeful, struck the campaign’s first goal and set an early marker. Lachlan Rose, alert in a crowded box, pounced before Rangers had settled and gave the hosts a deserved lead to take into half-time.

Rangers, by contrast, looked strangely loose. The ball never quite stuck, passing lanes closed too slowly, and United’s press rattled them. Possession came and went without conviction. The new era in the away dugout felt very familiar for 45 uneasy minutes.

The restart changed the temperature. Rangers emerged with more bite, their attacks suddenly carrying weight. Passes zipped rather than drifted. United, who had dictated the rhythm early on, were forced back towards their own penalty area as the blue shirts began to swarm.

The pressure finally told in the 56th minute. Aasgaard, who had been one of the few to show composure amid the early scrappiness, found a pocket of space and finished with real class, sweeping Rangers level with a strike that carried both precision and authority. It was the kind of moment McInnes will want to build his tenure around: calm execution when the game threatens to run away.

For a spell, it looked like the visitors might flip the night on its head. United rocked, Rangers pushed, and the away support sensed a late winner. But Jim Goodwin’s side refused to fold. They tightened lines, closed gaps, and slowly dragged the contest back towards a stalemate.

Then came the chance. Eight minutes from time, substitute Daniel Bennie bent a glorious, swerving pass through the Rangers back line and released Jesse Randall clean through. The New Zealand international had the game at his feet and only Ivor Pandur to beat.

His finish betrayed him. Instead of driving the ball past the goalkeeper, Randall opted for a delicate dink, a decision that demanded total conviction. It never came. The effort floated tamely into Pandur’s grateful hands and with it went United’s best opportunity to claim a statement win on opening night.

Rangers saw out the closing stages without finding another gear, McInnes left to reflect on a point that felt like both rescue and warning. United, meanwhile, will know they let two slip.

The rest of the league now steps into the spotlight. Celtic begin their title defence at home to Dundee on Monday night, while last season’s runners-up Hearts head to Aberdeen on Saturday evening. On this evidence, the champions may not have everything their own way—but only if others prove more ruthless than Dundee United managed here.