Rangers began the new Scottish Premiership season with an entertaining goalless draw at Hearts.
Both sides hit the woodwork at Tynecastle as Hearts’ summer signing Yan Dhanda struck the bar in the first half, while Rangers striker Cyriel Dessers crashed a close-range header off the bar and then onto the post in the second half.
Both goalkeepers were also in fine form for the season’s curtain-raiser as Hearts’ Zander Clarke denied Connor Barron on his Rangers debut and Tom Lawrence’s powerful second-half volley.
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Yan Dhanda finds the cross bar as Hearts pile on the pressure against Rangers in the Scottish Premiership
Rangers’ Jack Butland, meanwhile, produced good stops to prevent James Penrice early on and then Hearts captain Lawrence Shankland late on.
The home side impressed throughout as they had 18 shots to Rangers’ nine, and Hearts boss Steven Naismith would have been hugely encouraged by the display.
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Cyriel Dessers hits both crossbar and post for Rangers against Hearts
But Rangers boss Philippe Clement, who signed a new deal on Friday, knows there will is plenty of work to do ahead of Tuesday’s trip to Poland to face Dynamo Kyiv in Champions League qualifying.
Celtic, whom Rangers are looking to wrestle the title away from, begin their defence on Sunday at home to Kilmarnock, live on Sky Sports.
More to follow…
