In their first meeting since 1962, Tottenham Hotspur fought back to draw 1-1 with Rangers away in the UEFA Europa League, giving former Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou a successful return, as he took points from his old rivals.
The match at Ibrox Stadium started with fast-paced action, with both teams creating chances in the first 30 minutes. Václav Černý set up Nedim Bajrami, whose shot just went over the bar, and Son Heung-min had a great chance to score, but he fired wide after receiving a pass from James Maddison.
Despite plenty of attacking intent, the first half ended goalless due to poor finishing and lack of precision in front of goal. Rangers’ Černý came closest to breaking the deadlock in stoppage time, but his shot was blocked by former Celtic goalkeeper Fraser Forster.
Rangers, strong in European competitions, took the lead just two minutes into the second half. Tavernier crossed the ball into the box, and although the chance looked lost, Hamza Igamane was there to score his sixth goal in six matches.
Rangers continued to press, with Černý trying from long range but Forster saved comfortably. Postecoglou made changes in the 60th minute, bringing on key player Dominic Solanke, and Spurs soon started to find their rhythm. One of those changes led to an equaliser when Solanke passed to Dejan Kulusevski, who slid the ball into the net to level the score.
The game remained tense, with both teams pushing for a winner. Cyriel Dessers had a great chance to put Rangers ahead, but he missed from a good position. In the end, both teams had to settle for a draw, with each earning a point. Both Spurs and Rangers now have 11 points and remain in contention for qualification when European action resumes in the new year.
