Nedim Bajrami rescues Rangers with controversial last-gasp penalty to shatter Dundee United – 5 talking points

It was more dropped points for the Light Blues but it could have been a lot worse

Rangers Nedim Bajrami celebrates after scoring to make it 2-2 infront of Dave Richards(Image: SNS Group)

Most people are enjoying the Christmas countdown.

But for Rangers boss Danny Rohl, January can’t come quickly enough. The German watched his stuttering side draw for the second game in a row as they dropped more points at Tannadice against Dundee United.

And Rohl must be pining for the transfer window so he can somehow try to turn their season around. Gers missed a glut of chances on Tayside to fall even further behind Old Firm rivals Celtic in the Scottish Premiership.

After conceding a Zac Sapsford opener, they levelled through a brilliant Jayden Meghoma strike before half-time. But while Rangers squandered opportunities at one end – which included a sitter from £8 million striker Youssef Chermiti – they were vulnerable at the other.

Defensively, they were all over the place as Amar Fatah put United back in front with 25 minutes left. Rohl’s side pushed for an equaliser towards the end and finally grabbed a point at the death. Will Ferry’s late lunge on Max Aarons in stoppage time got them a penalty which Nedim Bajrami buried to make it 2-2.

But it didn’t stop the Rangers away support booing their side off the pitch at full-time. Here’s five talking points from Tannadice:

Danny dire

Danny Rohl got off to a decent start as Rangers boss – domestically at least – with four victories in a row. He got away with slip-ups in Europe as the priority had to be the Scottish Premiership. But after dropping points at home to Falkirk at the weekend then following it up with a draw at Tannadice – Rohl will now start to feel the pressure.

Of course, he needs the January transfer window to at least attempt to fix the problems at Ibrox. But unfortunately, he’s got a host of tough league games to navigate through before that with a squad that’s clearly not good enough.

They go to Kilmarnock on Saturday before a trip to face Ferencvaros in the Europa League. Then it’s Hibs at home and Hearts away so it’s not going to get any easier for the manager. He’ll have been encouraged by some of their attacking play against United. But Rangers couldn’t take their chances and defensively they were a mess.

They might have salvaged a point at the death with a spot kick – but the truth is, draws are no good to Rohl.

Feast or famine

Since Rohl arrived at Ibrox he’s made Rangers a bit more secure at the back. They haven’t been giving away as many chances or looking as susceptible to counter attacks as they were under Russell Martin. But the price to pay for that has been a dearth of chances and goals at the other end.

Against United, that seemed to flip on its head. The manager clearly wanted his team to take more risks going forward and carve-out more chances. That certainly happened at Tannadice, as Gers created a glut of gilt-edged opportunities.

Nico Raskin, Danilo, Bojan Miovski and Connor Barron could all have scored in the first half. Then after the break, Djeidi Gassama could have had a brace, Meghoma should have scored again, while Danilo hit the bar. Their £8 million man Chermiti then contrived to miss a sitter from six yards out.

Rangers Youssef Chermiti after missing a late headed chance(Image: SNS Group)

This Rangers side just can’t put together a complete performance. So while they were a threat going forward, they were woeful at the back. That culminated in the powder-puff defending for Fatah’s goal when the winger was allowed to cut across the box unchallenged before slotting home to make it 2-1.

Manny madness

Rangers centre-back Emmanuel Fernandez said in the build-up to the game he was ready to be a leader for the club and make a big impact. But after just 11 minutes he showed why he’s still got a long way to go before achieving that.

The former Peterborough defender was guilty of schoolboy defending when Sapsford opened the scoring for Dundee United.

A simple clipped ball down the line shouldn’t have caused Fernandez a problem- but he got it all wrong. A slight slip didn’t help but he got far too tight to the Aussie striker on the halfway line when there was no need to.

That allowed Sapsford to roll him and drive forward into the box. Fernandez tried to get back but lacked real pace. And when he did catch his man, he wasn’t strong enough in the challenge.

Sapsford’s finish was sublime – a delicious chip over Jack Butland – but it was such a cheap goal for Rangers to lose. And yet another learning curve for Fernandez whose defending was poor – and overall performance below-par.

Magic Meghoma

When you’ve been struggling for goals or even creating chances in the box, sometimes it’s worth having a pot-shot from distance. That must have been going through Jayden Meghoma’s mind when the ball rolled into his path after 21 minutes at Tannadice.

Rangers Jayden Meghoma celebrates after scoring to make it 1-1 vs Dundee United(Image: SNS Group)

After all, Rangers had actually squandered a couple of good opportunities before that to find the back of the net, with Miovski and Connor Barron guilty of missing when they ought to have scored.

At that point, it was difficult to see where a Rangers goal was coming from. But Meghoma’s dream 25-yard strike that flew past United keeper Dave Richards was a thing of beauty.

The on-loan Brentford full-back hasn’t enjoyed the best of starts to his Ibrox career. But this thunderous drive should do his confidence the world of good.

His long-range equaliser which got Rangers back in the game was the first of his career and one which will live long in the memory.

Goodwin gutted

Dundee United probably didn’t deserve anything more than the point they got against Rangers but with seconds left on the clock, they must have thought they’d done enough to win.

Gaffer Jim Goodwin was searching for his first ever win as a manager against Gers at the 17th attempt. And in stoppage time, he’ll have been convinced they had it in the bag.

Rangers created plenty of chances against United but the home side were a constant threat too.

Dundee United Manager Jim Goodwin looks dejected

And Goodwin will be delighted with the two goals his side scored.

Sapsford’s strike to break the deadlock was a brilliant individual effort but Fatah’s might have been even better. That should have been enough to get them three points.

But skipper Ferry will regret his decision to dive in on Aarons inside the box late on. United’s form hasn’t been great of late – that’s just one win in nine games for Goodwin’s men. But there was enough positivity in their performance here to make him believe they can get back on track.