Rangers' title hopes dented by late error in 2-2 draw at Dundee
Dan Neil's misplaced backpass allowed Dundee to equalise, denying Rangers a return to the top of the Scottish Premiership and leaving manager Derek McInnes to rue a missed opportunity.
Rangers missed the chance to return to the Scottish Premiership summit after a dramatic 2-2 draw at Dundee on Saturday. Dan Neil's mishit backpass was intercepted by Callum Jones, who equalised for the hosts, leaving manager Derek McInnes to describe the error as "like a balloon popping" in his post-match comments to BBC Scotland.
Dundee took a deserved first-half lead through Bradley Fink, but Badredine Bouanani levelled before the break. Rangers dominated after the interval and went ahead when Nicolas Raskin struck a long-range effort, only for Neil's mistake to gift Dundee a point. The result opens the door for Celtic to extend their lead at the top to four points when they host Hearts on Sunday.
McInnes was critical of his side's disjointed first half but praised the 25-minute spell after the break, saying it "shows what the team are capable of." However, he acknowledged a recurring issue with wastefulness, noting that Rangers had better chances than Raskin's goal to seal the win. The Ibrox side have scored 13 league goals from an accumulated xG of just under 20, underperforming by almost seven goals.
Former Rangers midfielder Derek Ferguson, speaking on BBC Sportsound, echoed the concern, stating that 25-minute performances are not enough to win leagues. He argued that Rangers were "sensational" for that period but need to sustain such levels for 70 minutes to challenge for the title.
While McInnes insisted his team should not need to score three goals to win away games, the draw leaves Rangers frustrated. Supporters have taken to social media to express their disappointment, with some questioning the team's consistency and others pointing to the defensive error as costly. The dropped points could prove significant in the title race.
Image: SNS / BBC Sport
