Rangers began their Scottish Premiership campaign with a 1-1 draw against Dundee United at Tannadice. The match marked the competitive debut for manager Derek McInnes at Rangers, with the team securing a point after falling behind in the first half.
The home side, Dundee United, took the lead through Lachlan Rose, who scored his fourth goal of the season. His left-footed finish found the bottom corner past debutant Rangers goalkeeper Ivor Pandur, following a cross from Jesse Randall and a step-over from Zac Sapsford. This goal gave Dundee United a deserved advantage at half-time.
Match Action and Equaliser
Rangers showed significant improvement after the break, with McInnes introducing Dan Neil and Youssef Chermiti at half-time. After Dundee United goalkeeper Jack Walton made a couple of saves, Thelo Aasgaard scored a powerful equaliser in the 56th minute. The Norway midfielder created space with his first touch before unleashing a left-footed strike that beat Walton.
Both teams had opportunities as the game progressed, becoming more open. Dundee United, however, missed a significant chance to secure all three points when New Zealand winger Jesse Randall directed his shot straight at Pandur, following a pass from Daniel Bennie. Ultimately, the match concluded with both teams sharing the points.
The fixture at Tannadice Park was the opening match of the 2026-27 Scottish Premiership season. Derek McInnes, who previously came close to winning the Premiership title with Heart of Midlothian last season, joined Rangers in June to replace Danny Rohl. Several new signings also made the move to Ibrox, including Scotland striker Lawrence Shankland and Australia midfielder Cammy Devlin.
Team Line-ups and New Signings
Rangers‘ starting line-up for the opening match featured four of their eight new signings. In goal was Ivor Pandur, with a defensive line comprising Dujon Sterling, Ben Godfrey, Emmanuel Fernandez, and Tuur Rommens. Cammy Devlin made his debut in midfield alongside Mohamed Diomande, while Thelo Aasgaard played in an advanced role. The attacking line included Djeidi Gassama, Ryan Naderi, and Lawrence Shankland.
The bench for Rangers included Liam Kelly, Ross McCrorie, Olwethu Makhanya, Dan Neil, Vanja Dragojevic, Tochi Chukwuani, Findlay Curtis, Youssef Chermiti, and Bojan Miovski. The kick-off for the match in Tayside was scheduled for 8pm. Supporters outside of the United Kingdom had the option to watch the match live via RangersTV.
This season marks a new era for Rangers, who have been active in the transfer market with the aim of lifting the league trophy for the first time since 2021. Dundee United have also been busy, bringing in nine players, and expressed optimism about their chances in this contest.
Dundee United were without Miller Thomson due to an ankle issue, but Jesse Randall, a summer arrival, was set to make his Scottish Premiership debut. Rangers were without Nicolas Raskin, who was with Belgium for World Cup exploits, and Vanja Dragojevic was unlikely to be available due to visa issues. Thelo Aasgaard was expected to feature despite a shoulder knock sustained in a pre-season match against West Ham. New signings Ivor Pandur, Ben Godfrey, Cammy Devlin, and Lawrence Shankland were all expected to play a part.
Dundee United entered the match with a strong home record, being unbeaten in their last 10 matches at home, with seven wins and three draws. In the previous season, both teams scored in 63% of Dundee United‘s 19 home league games. Rangers, on the other hand, lost two of their last three away games in the 2025-26 campaign, despite scoring 37 away goals in the league, which was the highest in the division.
The last meeting between Dundee United and Rangers at Tannadice in December 2025 ended in a 2-2 draw. Two of the last three encounters between the two clubs have also resulted in 2-2 draws. Dundee United have not secured a victory against Rangers since 2021.
Source: bbc.com
Daniel Fairbrother is the Senior Football Correspondent at Latest News UK, covering the Premier League, the EFL and the England national side with over a decade of reporting experience. He spent eight years on the football desk of a Yorkshire daily before moving into national coverage. He holds a degree in Sports Journalism from the University of Sunderland and completed an NCTJ diploma. Based in Leeds, he watches non-league football and runs a five-a-side league. “The best football stories are won in the week, not on the whistle.”