Aasgaard's Goal Earns McInnes First Point as Rangers Manager

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

It was untidy. It was tense. But it was something.

Lachlan Rose had written the first line of this campaign’s story, striking the league’s opening goal and giving United a deserved half-time lead at Tannadice. Rangers, disjointed and slack in possession, spent the first 45 minutes chasing shadows and their own first touch.

McInnes cut a restless figure on the touchline. His team never truly settled in the opening period, the ball turned over too easily, United sharper into challenges and quicker into space. The hosts sensed uncertainty and played on it.

Rose’s breakthrough underlined that early superiority. United moved with purpose, worked the ball into a dangerous area and Rose pounced, drilling his name into the season’s record books and putting Rangers on the back foot before they had found any rhythm.

The response had to come after the interval, and it did. Not instantly, not explosively, but gradually, with a bit more bite in the duels and a lot more intent on the ball. Rangers began to pin United deeper, passes finally sticking, runs finally being found.

The pressure finally told in the 56th minute. Aasgaard, the brightest attacking spark in blue, found the angle and the finish to match, sweeping home with real composure to level the contest and briefly tilt it in Rangers’ favour. It was a goal that carried both technique and timing, the kind a new manager clings to as evidence that his ideas might yet take hold.

For a spell, it felt like Rangers might turn the screw. United rocked, the home crowd anxious, McInnes urging his players higher, faster, braver. But the surge never became a storm. United steadied themselves, tightened their lines and began to break Rangers’ momentum, one interception and one clearance at a time.

Then came the moment that should have settled it.

Eight minutes from time, substitute Daniel Bennie produced the pass of the night, a swerving ball that sliced Rangers open and sent Jesse Randall clear. One on one, the New Zealand international had the game at his mercy. Tannadice held its breath.

Randall blinked. His attempted dink carried no conviction, floating tamely into the grateful hands of Ivor Pandur. A huge chance, wasted. A huge let-off for McInnes and Rangers.

The miss drained the air from United’s late charge. Rangers, though, could not turn that reprieve into a winner of their own. The contest closed with both sides wary of losing what they had, rather than bold enough to seize what they wanted.

McInnes walks away with his first point as Rangers manager, Aasgaard with the honour of their first goal of the season, and United with the lingering frustration of what might have been.

Celtic begin their title defence at home to Dundee on Monday night, Hearts visit Aberdeen on Saturday evening, and already the question hangs in the air: how quickly can McInnes turn this Rangers side from survivors into contenders?