Rangers faced a frustrating afternoon at Ibrox, needing a late James Tavernier penalty to salvage a 1-1 draw against Dundee. The result marks a setback for Rangers early in the Scottish Premiership season, leaving fans disappointed.

The match began with Rangers looking to build on their recent 3-0 victory over Viktoria Plzen in the Champions League qualifier, a response to their underwhelming 1-1 draw against Motherwell the previous week. However, Dundee proved to be a difficult opponent, taking the lead in the 51st minute through a Ryan Astley header. The goal came after Mohamed Diomande conceded a foul, with Callum Jones delivering a free-kick that Clark Robertson flicked on for Astley to convert. A VAR check confirmed the goal, compounding Rangers' frustration.

Rangers' woes deepened when defender Nasser Djiga was sent off for denying Finlay Robertson a clear goalscoring opportunity. Down to ten men, Rangers struggled to break down Dundee's defense until a late foul by Drey Wright on Djeidi Gassama in the box. Tavernier, who had come on as a substitute, stepped up and calmly converted the penalty in added time, sending the Dundee goalkeeper the wrong way.

There was late drama as Cyriel Dessers had a goal disallowed for offside in the seventh minute of added time, further frustrating the home crowd. The draw means Rangers have only picked up two points from their opening two league games, a disappointing start to their title challenge.

Rangers manager Russell Martin had made the bold decision to initially leave Tavernier and Nicolas Raskin out of the starting lineup against Dundee. Despite the win against Viktoria Plzen, Martin expressed unhappiness following the draw against Motherwell. He later brought on Tavernier and Danilo as he sought a breakthrough against a resolute Dundee side.

Dundee's performance was commendable, with new signing Joe Westley making his debut. However, they were without captain Simon Murray due to a knee injury. Dundee's organized defense frustrated Rangers for much of the match, and they came close to securing a valuable victory before the late penalty. After the match, Dundee manager Steven Pressley expressed how he "could cry" for his players after the draw.

Rangers now face a crucial second leg against Viktoria Plzen in the Czech Republic, with their confidence potentially dented by this result. They will need to improve their performance if they are to progress in the Champions League and mount a serious title challenge in the Scottish Premiership.