Danny Röhl managed to avoid his first Scottish Premiership defeat as Rangers manager by the skin of his teeth as a 98th minute Nedim Bajrami penalty rescues a point against Dundee United at Tannadice.
Rangers made three changes to the side that were held to a goalless draw at home to Falkirk on Sunday afternoon: with Jayden Meghoma, Danilo and Djeidi Gassama all coming into the starting lineup to replace Thelo Aasgaard, Max Aarons and the injured Oliver Antman.
Rangers would start relatively brightly but would quickly find themselves under pressure with Danilo almost deflecting the ball into his own net.
Röhl’s men would commit men forward in numbers – looking to avoid the same attacking impotency that plagued them against the Bairns – but would be caught out on their left flank with Zak Sapsford getting in behind with Meghoma up the park.
The Australian would run at Emmanuel Fernandez – who had his poorest performance for Rangers tonight – and beat him for pace driving in towards the Rangers goal – he lured Jack Butland out and dinked the England international to give United the lead.
United would come inches away from a second as Nikolaj Möller’s header went just past the post moments later.
It looked set to be another one of those days for this Rangers side that we have seen so often this calendar year after a Bojan Miovski header was well saved by Richards.
But following the clearance of a James Tavernier corner the ball would fall to his opposite full back Meghoma 25-yards from goal and the Brentford loanee would unleash a fantastic strike across United keeper Dave Richards into the back of the set to score his first Rangers goal and his first senior goal in football.
Amar Fatah would test Butland while Connor Barron fired over the bar to see out the opening 45.
Into the second half and Rangers would carry the momentum with Bajrami testing Richards before Danilo cannoned the rebound off the crossbar with an audacious overhead kick at close range – a break in play that left Miovski wearing a Terry Butcher-esq head bandage slowed down the pace – before Gassama tested Richards with a shot on the right flank.
But for all their eager attacking play and forward-thinking intentions, the visitors would remain careless and uncoordinated at the back – and for their slackness they would pay the price.
Butland would produce a big save from a United corner, but the clearance was picked up by Fatah, beating Bajrami to a 50-50 challenge, drifting away from Miovski before Nasser Djiga and Fernandez each allowed him to drive into the centre of the goal and curl his effort past the keeper into the bottom corner – a great finish but he was allowed far too much space to aim at by the hapless Rangers backline.
Meghoma would come close again as a leveller was desperately chased, the left-back forcing Richards into a good stop at the back post – Gassama would get on the end of a delicious and precise ball into the area by Bajrami, his strike hitting the post and Danilo unable to control the rebound.
Substitute Yousef Chermiti looked to have thrown away the last hope of a goal late on when he flicked way wide a header from another excellent Bajrami delivery – a free header inside the six-yard box and the £8m signing could not connect and the fans behind the goal voiced their disapproval in the forward.
The day would be somewhat salvaged at the end – another substitute Max Aarons, who replaced Tavernier, was taken out by United captain Will Ferry in the box – amid perplexing Michael Stewart protestations on Premier Sports commentary – to give Rangers a chance to save a point and their recent undefeated league run.
With Tavernier off the park it was Bajrami – the clear man-of-the-match for Rangers – who stepped up.
The Albanian international calmly converted for his second goal of the season but there was no time for a late rally as referee David Dickinson blew for full time straight after the restart.
Rangers lose ground on Celtic, now second on goal difference only with their win over Dundee.
Lead leaders Hearts could only draw with Kilmarnock at Tynecastle with both sides now nine ahead of Rangers on 32 points.
Rangers, in fourth place, have a game in hand over the Jambos – and on Motherwell who occupy third spot ahead of them on goal difference.
A trip to Rugby Park to face Kilmarnock up next for Rangers on Saturday evening.