Battle of Britain high on entertainment - but neither team can find a winner
Let Ibrox shake. It did a couple of minutes after half time and the stadium did so again when Cyriel Dessers struck what might have been the winning goal had it not been for a pesky linesman’s flag. The substitute also saw an effort brilliantly blocked by Fraser Forster in a predictably erratic cameo.
Hamza Igamane had already proved why he is the current centre forward in favour at Ibrox with an unerring finish to put the hosts ahead shortly after half-time on a lively evening under the lights in Govan. It wasn’t quite the famous night it looked like being as the minutes ticked down and Igamane’s goal continued to separate the two teams. Both sides seemed happy enough to share the spoils at the end and are well placed to advance from the top section.
Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou certainly felt it was safe to go across and acknowledge the away fans at the end before allowing himself a cheeky wave to the home fans in the Broomloan stand. He was indebted to substitute Dejan Kulusevski, who steered home an equaliser with 16 minutes left, for reducing some of the heat building around him. Cheers, mate.
Rangers' Hamza Igamane celebrates opening the scoring against Tottenham Hotspur.Rangers' Hamza Igamane celebrates opening the scoring against Tottenham Hotspur.
Rangers' Hamza Igamane celebrates opening the scoring against Tottenham Hotspur. | SNS Group
Ever wondered what might happen when two clearly capable but flawed sides played a football match which both were equally desperate to win? Well, this was the entertaining answer. It seemed apt that neither team did take all three points, although Rangers will rue the failure to do so.
Philippe Clement’s side were grateful for the chaos that can be almost guaranteed when Spurs play. While they lamented not going in at the interval in front, they wasted little time to put that right.
Spurs had come out early for the second half in a seeming attempt to relay the message that it was time to stop messing about. It was time to start playing for real. Quality will out. Kulusevski, named on the bench alongside £65 million man Dominic Solanke, had been brought on to replace the hopeless Timo Werner.
The Swede had barely touched the ball before Rangers were in front with James Tavernier delivering another firm shot into the eye of his critics with a delicious curling ball to find Igamane, who finished like someone who has now scored five goals in his last five appearances, including a double in Nice. The young Moroccan steered the ball past Forster, whose impregnable aura while at Celtic seems to have suffered somewhat since moving to Spurs.
The London club make great demands of their ‘keepers and ensure they have plenty to do. Forster, for all that he was once known as The Wall, could not keep everything out. Neither could opposite number Jack Butland. He was finally beaten by Kulusevski.
Dejan Kulusevski netted Spurs' equaliser against Rangers.Dejan Kulusevski netted Spurs' equaliser against Rangers.
Dejan Kulusevski netted Spurs' equaliser against Rangers. | SNS Group
Solanke had also come on by this stage and he too played a part in a goal that was greeted with relief by Spurs and their fans. They didn’t want the sorry statistic of becoming the first English club side for 18 years to lose to one from Scotland in a competitive game to be added to the recent roll of dishonour. Postecoglou’s big guns had helped to dig their manager out of a hole. It remains to be seen if drawing at Ibrox, something Dundee United managed as recently as last month, has the Australian back on track with the supporters. He has still overseen just one clean sheet in 11 games although that did come against Manchester City. The supporters applauded at the end here but perhaps only because they realised it might have been worse.
To hang with studied, possession-based tactics. This Battle of Britain was rooted firmly in the unsophisticated sod and was all the better for it. Spurs began as if they wanted to be the preening Premier League showmen and strung together a dynamic one touch move before promptly falling apart. Postecoglou, arms plunged deep into the pockets of his regulation padded coat, had his own team to worry about and could not afford to be deflected by whatever barbs were being thrown his way. In truth, the reception seemed pretty mild until the inevitable “You’re getting sacked in the morning!” chorus a few minutes into the second half.
Amid the excitement of Postecoglou’s return to Ibrox for the first time since his days at Celtic, it was possible to forget that another thorn in their side in the shape of Forster, who enjoyed two spells at Parkhead, was also reacquainting himself with the Govan natives. He turned out to be enemy No 1, with his name roundly jeered the moment it was read out.
He was one reason why Rangers did not take the lead earlier than was eventually the case. One block with his legs from Vaclav Cerny was exceptional. The hosts were wasteful too. Nedim Bajrami will still be kicking himself or not flinging himself at a ball from the left from Jefte that simply begged to be converted into the empty net. Spurs rivalled the hosts for profligacy. Son Heung-min should have put his side in front but shot weakly towards Butland after Maddison’s cutback.
The ball was being passed back and forth between the teams like a hot potato. Only one visiting player, Yves Bissouma, had completed 100 per cent of their passes by half-time. So much for the Premier League’s claims to be the cream of the crop.
Ange Postecoglou urges his Spurs team forward.Ange Postecoglou urges his Spurs team forward.
Ange Postecoglou urges his Spurs team forward. | SNS Group
Arms were shooting up all over the place apologising to teammates for slack passes, with Jefte, who started at left back, one of the principal offenders for the home team. Spurs were not much better. Werner, who was constantly guilty of wasting possession, has seen better nights and was replaced at half time by Kulusevski.
As for Rangers, Robin Propper was guilty of dithering on the ball. It so nearly proved costly just 15 minutes in. When he did finally release it for Nico Raskin the midfielder had been closed down. The Dutch centre half did redeem himself by flinging himself at James Maddison’s shot and managing to gain a crucial touch to deflect the ball over the bar. The defender will be thankful for the run out as he will likely be needed for Sunday’s League Cup final against Celtic. John Souttar’s first-half injury – he was replaced by Leon Balogun - blighted an otherwise positive night for Rangers.