NafisaDerek McInnes has identified the moment Rangers could have snatched all three points against Hearts after Dujon Sterling missed a late opportunity that would have transformed the Scottish Premiership title race.
Rangers were forced to settle for a 2-2 draw at Tynecastle on Wednesday night, with Olwethu Makhanya rescuing a point through an 89th-minute header after Derek McInnes’ side surrendered their first-half advantage.
But while the late equaliser prevented Rangers from leaving Edinburgh empty-handed, the result could have been considerably better for the visitors. Sterling had an opportunity to score a dramatic winner in the closing stages, only for Rangers to miss the chance to claim a victory that would have put them within one point of Celtic at the top of the table.
McInnes did not hide his disappointment with his team’s overall performance, particularly their collapse at the beginning of the second half. Yet his assessment of Sterling’s late opportunity made clear that Rangers had a chance to turn a frustrating evening into a potentially decisive result.
“We’re disappointed we never showed more authority in the game,” the Rangers boss admitted.
The draw leaves Rangers four points behind Celtic and four ahead of Hearts, meaning the missed opportunity could prove significant as the title race develops.
Sterling’s late miss proves costly for Rangers
For Rangers, the biggest frustration will be knowing that the opportunity to secure all three points was there for the taking.
After fighting back from a difficult second half to level the contest, the visitors had a chance to snatch victory late on. Sterling was unable to take his opportunity, leaving Rangers to settle for a single point rather than celebrating a dramatic away win.
McInnes specifically acknowledged that his team could have won the match through Sterling, even while admitting that such a result might have been harsh on Hearts given their overall performance.
“We never defended with any real certainty, and we needed to in those moments. It was only really in the last 15 or 20 minutes that we started to knit a few passes, we started to play a wee bit more and we got an equaliser from a set play, which is pleasing.
“From that point of view, we deserved our point although we should have won it at the end (through Dujon Sterling), but it would have been really harsh on Hearts had we taken it. We didn’t do enough to win the game.”
Those comments underline the fine margins involved. Rangers had done enough to recover from their second-half collapse and give themselves a chance of claiming victory, but Sterling’s missed opportunity meant they could not complete the comeback.
With Celtic sitting four points ahead, the importance of those final moments will not be lost on Rangers supporters. A winner would have reduced the gap to just one point, applying immediate pressure on their title rivals.
Instead, Rangers left Tynecastle with work still to do.
Rangers throw away advantage after promising start
The frustration will be even greater because McInnes’ side initially looked capable of silencing the home support.
Kevin Kelsy gave Rangers the lead in the 16th minute, putting the visitors in front during an emotionally charged evening for their manager.
McInnes was returning to Tynecastle for the first time since leaving Hearts for Ibrox in June, just weeks after coming close to guiding the Edinburgh club to the Scottish Premiership title.
The home crowd made their feelings clear throughout the contest, with the former Hearts manager regularly booed and taunted during his return.
However, Rangers appeared to lose control after the interval.
Hearts struck twice in the opening 13 minutes of the second half, with Claudio Braga and Calvin Miller turning the game around and leaving the visitors chasing an equaliser.
McInnes was particularly critical of how his side emerged from the dressing room, describing their start to the second half as inexplicable.
“You’ve got to credit Hearts. I think Hearts had the better players. I think they had three or four real top performers and players who played really well. And we never started the second half. It’s inexplicable, really.”
The Rangers boss acknowledged that his players lacked the defensive certainty required to withstand Hearts’ pressure, leaving them needing a late response to avoid defeat.
Makhanya eventually provided that response with his 89th-minute header, but Sterling’s subsequent miss meant Rangers could not turn a point into three.
McInnes admits Rangers did not deserve to win
Despite the late disappointment, McInnes was realistic about his team’s performance.
The Rangers manager recognised that Hearts had been the better side for significant periods and suggested that taking all three points would have been an unfair reflection of the contest.
That admission will offer little comfort to supporters who know how valuable a victory could have been, particularly with Celtic maintaining their advantage at the top of the table.
Rangers had spent heavily during the summer and were expected to challenge for the championship, making dropped points in matches like this all the more frustrating.
Hearts manager Wouter Vrancken, meanwhile, was proud of his players’ performance despite the late equaliser and an injury crisis that worsened when Rogers Mato was forced off in the first half with a muscle strain.
“When you concede a goal so late, you’re always disappointed because I think we deserved the three points,” Vrancken said.
“It would have been a great win, but it was still a massive performance.”
Celtic remain in control as Rangers rue missed opportunity
The final result leaves Rangers four points behind Celtic, with Hearts also four points behind McInnes’ side.
Had Sterling converted his late opportunity, Rangers would have moved within one point of the league leaders and given themselves a major boost in the title race.
Instead, they must reflect on a performance that combined a promising opening, a disastrous start to the second half and a late push that nearly produced a remarkable comeback.
Makhanya’s equaliser ensured Rangers avoided defeat on a difficult night for McInnes, but the manager’s own assessment revealed the disappointment at missing out on a victory.
Sterling’s late miss will therefore remain a defining moment from the draw. Rangers recovered enough to earn a point, but they failed to take the opportunity that could have dramatically changed their position in the race for the Scottish Premiership title.
Nafisa
