Dundee 2-2 Rangers: Jones punishes Neil error as visitors miss chance to go top

Rangers missed the chance to move above Celtic at the top of the Scottish Premiership after Callum Jones capitalised on Dan Neil’s mistake to earn Dundee a 2-2 draw at Dens Park.

Bradley Fink put the hosts ahead before Badredine Bouanani and Nicolas Raskin turned the match in Rangers’ favour. But their lead lasted just nine minutes, with Jones equalising in the 69th minute to halt the visitors’ winning run.

The result leaves Rangers second on 20 points, one behind Celtic, who host Hearts on Sunday. Dundee remain fourth with 14 points from nine matches.

Bouanani and Raskin turn the game around

Dundee threatened before the breakthrough, with Ashley Hay heading against the woodwork. Fink then gave the home side the lead in the 37th minute.

Rangers responded before half-time. Bouanani, named in the confirmed starting line-up, struck in the 42nd minute to send the teams into the interval level.

Raskin completed the turnaround on the hour, his long-range effort going in off the crossbar. Two outstanding strikes had put Rangers in position to take control of the title race for the night.

Jones makes Rangers pay

The advantage disappeared when Neil lost possession and Jones seized his opportunity, beating Ivor Pandur to restore parity with 21 minutes remaining.

For Rangers, the frustration was in how quickly they surrendered a lead they had worked to establish. Recovering from Fink’s opener had given them the platform for another victory; protecting that position proved beyond them.

Dundee deserve credit for their response, too. Having seen their own lead overturned either side of half-time, they still found a way back into the contest. Neither side could produce a winner.

Celtic retain the advantage

Before the game, Emmanuel Fernandez had argued that Rangers’ lighter schedule could help their title challenge, allowing more time for preparation and recovery.

This was an opportunity to turn that preparation into scoreboard pressure on Celtic. Instead, the leaders retain first place without playing and can extend their advantage to four points by beating Hearts.

The official Scottish Premiership table leaves Dundee six points behind Rangers. For the hosts, recovering from 2-1 down against the second-placed side provides further encouragement. For Rangers, two spectacular goals could not compensate for the mistake that cost them two points.