Rangers Salvage 2-2 Draw Against Hearts as McInnes Defends Squad's Character
An 89th-minute equalizer secured a point for Rangers at Tynecastle, keeping the club four points adrift in the Scottish Premiership title race.
Rangers fought back to earn a 2-2 draw against Hearts at Tynecastle on Wednesday, salvaging a point through a late header from defender Olwethu Makhanya. The result prevented a damaging defeat in the Scottish Premiership title race on manager Derek McInnes' return to his former club, keeping Rangers four points behind league leaders Celtic, who were simultaneously held to a 2-2 draw by Dundee United.
The match saw Rangers open the scoring through Ryan Naderi before the hosts mounted a spirited response. Hearts turned the game completely around, taking a 2-1 advantage after Calvin Miller found the back of the net. Rangers center-back Emmanuel Fernandez was caught out of position during the go-ahead score, leaving the visiting squad chasing an equalizer until Makhanya nodded the ball home in the 89th minute.
Following the final whistle, Makhanya delivered a blunt critique of his team's performance, pointing to a noticeable slump during the early stages of the second half. Makhanya stated that the squad suffered from a "lack of character" after the interval, asserting that Hearts displayed more desire and were actively outworking Rangers as the home side overturned the deficit.
McInnes swiftly rejected that assessment as his side prepares for a Scottish League Cup semifinal clash against Aberdeen on Saturday. While acknowledging that his players faced difficult spells during the match, the manager maintained that calling out the squad's character was an oversimplification, emphasizing that physical tracking metrics challenged the narrative of being outworked.
"We've got plenty of character. We've shown that already this season, with character to bounce back and get a result [Wednesday] night when it looked as if we weren't going to get that," McInnes said. He added that while the players demonstrated determination and never gave up, they still fell short in execution, noting that Rangers were "outmuscled at times," slow to anticipate plays, and reactive rather than proactive against an assertive Hearts side.
The stalemate leaves Rangers with mixed feelings regarding their recent domestic form. The club remains on a 10-game unbeaten streak across competitive fixtures, a run highlighted by a 4-0 home victory over St Johnstone and a 1-0 away victory against Celtic at Celtic Park, where Naderi also scored. However, McInnes' squad has now surrendered leads in consecutive away fixtures, having previously finished with an identical 2-2 scoreline against Dundee.
The dropped points away from home have fueled debate regarding squad selection and individual form. Fernandez has faced mounting scrutiny after being out of position on Miller's goal, prompting questions about whether Ben Godfrey should enter the lineup to partner Makhanya in central defense. In addition, winger Djeidi Gassama faced harsh criticism from observer David Edgar, who described his performance during the draw as an "all-time stinker."
Rangers must now quickly refocus ahead of Saturday's knockout fixture against Aberdeen. While the gap to Celtic remains at four points, the recurrent draws away from home have placed added significance on domestic cup competitions. The League Cup semifinal represents a vital opportunity for McInnes to steer Rangers toward silverware and validate the squad's progress this season.