Rangers held to draw at Hearts in Premiership curtain-raiser

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.

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.

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.

Sutton: Rangers were very flat

Sky Sports’ Chris Sutton:

“I think Steven Naismith will probably feel his side had chances to win the game. But their record against Rangers is pretty tragic so a point isn’t the worst thing.

“From Rangers’ perspective, we know there’s a rebuild going on, but it was very flat. I still don’t understand their style of play. There aren’t combinations in the final third and they aren’t creative enough. That could be a problem.”

Boyd: A lot of improvement needed from Rangers

Sky Sports’ Kris Boyd:

“I get there’s a rebuild but Barron’s the only one that starts. If you go back to last season, five of the new players started. These players know what they’re going to come up against at Tynecastle and it’s got to be better. There has to be a lot of improvement.

“You’re always going to say there has to be time and patience, but you don’t get that in football. You need to start winning games and it doesn’t get any easier for Rangers on Tuesday. Dynamo Kyiv were comfortable winners in the last round and Clement said it’s going to be a step up.

“It’s a crucial period for Rangers. There doesn’t seem to be any certainty over what’s happening. It’s a new squad but that isn’t a new team. It’s got to be better.”

Clement accepts ‘fair’ point

Rangers manager Philippe Clement speaking to Sky Sports:

“We didn’t play a good first half. We were lacking physicality in the duels and then, when we had the ball, we were too impatient. We didn’t have enough quality and some players were in the wrong positions.

“In the second half, we took control of the game, with better football. It’s not top yet, with the players coming in and the players we lost.

“It will be an important point. Hearts finished third last season. It’s a fair result.”

Naismith pleased with ‘really good’ performance

Hearts head coach Steven Naismith speaking to Sky Sports:

“We could definitely have won it. It was a really entertaining game. The headline’s going to be Rangers have dropped points but I think a lot of that was down to how well we played.

“We controlled the first half. They changed in the second half to a back three and they were more direct with that you’re inevitably going to give up a couple of chances so they could easily have won it.

“But we had good opportunities and the performance overall was really good. There was loads to like, it’s just that last moment but first week of the season and the first month every team’s going to miss chances because they’re still getting into their stride with the competitive nature of the games.”

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