Dundee fought out an entertaining 2-2 draw with Rangers at Dens Park on Saturday night. The Dark Blues were well on top in the first half and took the lead through Bradley Fink. Rangers were relieved, and rather fortunate, to reach half time on level terms thanks to Badredine Bouanani’s equaliser. After that difficult first half Rangers took command after half time. They turned the screw on the Dee and Nico Raskin made it 2-1. However, Dundee didn’t take long to fight back and Callum Jones’ goal dragged the Dark Blues level. Both teams pushed for a winner but had to settle for a point apiece. It was a richly deserved point for the Dee after yet another excellent team performance against top quality opponents.
The Dark Blues were unchanged after last week’s win at Falkirk. Ryan Finnigan and Charlie Reilly returned from injury to take places on the bench where they were joined by Zan Besir after suspension.
The opening quarter of an hour was cagey and interesting rather than thrilling as the teams sized each other up. From then on the entertainment was non-stop. Dundee moved smoothly into an attractive game that unsettled Rangers and created a series of dangerous moments.
The Dark Blues showed impressive confidence and troubled Rangers with their ability to play their way quickly out of tight situations to attack into space.
Alan Forrest played Joe Bevan through but the young winger shot wide. Ash Hay smacked a powerful header against the crossbar from Ethan Hamilton’s corner. Rangers lost the ball trying to play out from the back and Hamilton’s quick shot flew narrowly wide from 25 yards.
Rangers were second best but had a couple of dangerous moments. Badredine Bouanani reached the byline but the Dee cleared his low cross. Dan Neill miskicked a chance well wide from Dujon Sterling’s cutback.
However, it was the Dee who took a deserved lead after 37 minutes. A long ball found Ash Hay battling with Sterling on the edge of the penalty area. The ball broke nicely for Bradley FINK who calmly dribbled round keeper Ivor Pandur and scored from a narrow angle.
The quality of Dundee’s play meant Rangers fell well short of their recent high standards. Badredine Bouanani was a dangerous exception and if an unexpected equaliser was to come it was likely to be thanks to the young Algerian winger. That was how it panned out. Three minutes from the interval Dundee couldn’t clear a Gassami cross. Minsu’s shot was blocked but BOUANANI curled an unstoppable shot round a crowd of players into the top corner from 16 yards.
After half time the Dark Blues started confidently and for the first few minutes it looked as if the second half might pan out like the first. However, Rangers suddenly shifted up a few gears and for 20 minutes they were a totally different, and very impressive, side.
Minsu, playing in the number 10 role, had been anonymous in the first half but for 10 minutes was unstoppable. He shot narrowly wide from 20 yards, and put in a series of runs that threatened to tear the Dee defence apart.
Bouanani was played clear through but was denied by an outstanding save by Owen Goodman. The Dee keeper made another fine save from Djeidi Gassama’s 22 yard effort.
Dundee were struggling to get through Rangers’ defence but passed up a good chance when Callum Jones took a free kick wide on the right. Fink found himself free at the far post but sent his header straight at Pandur.
Rangers’ attacking intensity looked likely to produce a goal, but it took something special to get past the Dee defence on the hour mark. Nico RASKIN picked the ball up 25 yards out and sent a superb shot into the top corner off the underside of the crossbar leaving Goodman with no chance.
Briefly Rangers threatened to blow the Dee away. Goodman pulled off a great save from Bouanani’s 20 yard shot. A minute later he had to save impressively again with a foot from Gassama.
Midway through the second half Joe Bevan was withdrawn with Alfie Harrison coming on for his debut. Two minutes later the Dark Blues were level.
Rangers tried to play out from the back but Callum JONES was pressing high and robbed Dan Neill 25 yards from goal. He kept his head and strode on to shoot calmly past Pandur into the corner of the net.
The setback knocked Rangers out of their groove and they were never the same again. There was a scary moment when Harrison’s clearing header was blocked and the defence had to scramble clear.
From then on the Dee defence coped superbly with everything that was thrown at them. Alan Forrest almost managed to clear on the break from the halfway line but was wiped out by Sterling. The home support bayed for a red card. But although Sterling denied a goalscoring opportunity, it was hardly a clear one and it was no surprise that the VAR review decided against a red card.
Traditionally the last few minutes of a tight game against the Glasgow giants are fraught with danger. This time the Dark Blues closed the game out impeccably while always trying to push forward and hurt Rangers. The home support loved the Dark Blues’ performance and attitude and they showed their appreciation at the final whistle as the Dee took a well deserved point against a very good Rangers team.
Dundee have taken seven points from the last three games, with wins against Motherwell and Falkirk, and then this draw. Each of these games has seen Dundee improve and tonight the Dee played like a team that truly belongs in the top six of the Premiership.
Yet again every part of the team was excellent. Owen Goodman was faultless in goal. The centre backs were towers of strength. The full backs stood up well to some very dangerous wing play from Rangers and kept coming forward. The Dundee midfield was strong, creative, and resilient. The two strikers linked well with each other and the midfield, giving Rangers a particularly difficult first half.
The sponsors named Ethan Hamilton as the Man of the Match. That was no surprise. The Dee skipper was immense, but yet again the whole team deserved an award for a top drawer performance that puts Dundee two points clear in fourth place.
Dundee FC 4-4-2
Owen Goodman
Drey Wright, Ryan Astley, Owen Bevan, Imari Samuels
Joe Bevan (Alfie Harrison 67), Callum Jones, Ethan Hamilton (c), Alan Forrest
Bradley Fink, Ashley Hay
Unused substitutes: Kieran OโHara (gk), Brad Halliday, Idris Odutayo, Matai Akinmboni, Ryan Finnigan, Zan Besir, Charlie Reilly, Joe Wright.
Goals: Fink (37), Jones (69).
Booked: Hamilton (foul on Minsu), Hay (dissent).
Rangers 4-2-3-1
Pandur
Sterling, Fernandez, Makhanya, Penrice
Neill, Raskin
Bouanani (Curtis 76), Minsu (Kelsy 76), Gassama
Naderi
Unused subs: Kelly (gk), Nedeljkovic, Godfrey, Rommens, Dragojevic, Chukwuani, Miovski.
Goals: Bouanani (42), Raskin (60).
Booked: Sterling (foul on Forrest), Raskin (dissent).
Attendance: 9,048.
Referee: Duncan Nicolson. Assistants: Jonathan Bell, Chris Gentles. VAR: Matthew MacDermid. Assistant VAR: Sean Carr. 4th Official: Greg Soutar.
Report: James Christie.
