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Rangers 1-1 Tottenham: Dejan Kulusevski gives Ange Postecoglou a Glasgow kiss of life as Spurs avoid a third straight defeat

Ah, the comfort of the Glasgow kiss of life for Ange Postecoglou. Back in the Scottish city where he enjoyed such success his ailing Tottenham team found a late remedy and an escape from some of their problems.

Dejan Kulusevski came off the bench to produce a late equaliser and Spurs avoided a third successive defeat despite Rangers being the better team for much of what was a raucous night inside Ibrox Stadium.

For a large part of the game, the hosts could detect one of the great European victories of recent years, a chance to humble English visitors representing the self-acclaimed best league in the world and make life difficult for a former Celtic hero.

Hamza Igamane fired them ahead at the start of the second half and they pushed on as if sure to extend their lead under Postecoglou made three changes and took more control of the game in the late stages.

Rangers faded slightly before producing another flurry after changes of their own. The visitors had Fraser Forster to thank for a late save and Cyriel Dessers had the ball in the net only to see it ruled out by a flag for offside.

Spurs left a point they barely deserved which steadies them in this competition.

It only extends a sequence of poor results to one win in eight, with a trip to Southampton in the Premier League next, on Sunday, but will feel like a small triumph after some of the pressure their patched-up back four were able to sustain.

Postecoglou was well beaten on his final visit to Ibrox as Celtic manager but he left out players that day with the title in the bag and a Scottish Cup Final on the horizon.

Here, Tottenham had key men absent through injuries but two available in Yves Bissouma and Rodrigo Bentancur who cannot play in the Premier League at Southampton on Sunday because they are banned.

Bissouma and Bentancur lined up in midfield with James Maddison, which injected vital experience into a team. Postecoglou picked a young team at Galatasaray and they were rattled by the high-energy football of the hosts and the ferocious atmosphere in Istanbul.

Here with Ibrox turning up the decibels for a big night he took few chances with the selection, other than to start with Dominic Solanke and Dejan Kulusevski on the bench, and they survived a strong opening by Rangers with few scares.

There were jeers for those with Celtic affiliations such as Fraser Forster and Archie Gray but Spurs held firm at the back. Gray, still only 18, made a composed start. There are many things impressive about the teen but chief among them must be his temperament.

He seemed unruffled by the occasion. Or the fact he had been throw in to play in an unfamiliar role in the heart of a patched-up defensive unit and Rangers were determined to test him in the air. He won a couple of early headers to settle any nerves.

Radu Dragusin was a strong physical presence alongside. Postecoglou will have to rely heavily on this pair for the next few weeks, with Micky an de Ven, Cristian Romero and Ben Davies all out injured.

Gray sought opportunities to stride out in possession. One stylish run out of defensive quarters ended with him losing lost the ball, yards out of position on the left wing. He gave a little shake of his head and sprinted back.

He tried the same move again 10 minutes later with the same outcome, and yet Postecoglou’s team did not throw players forward with their usual abandon. Partly due to Rangers being on top through the first half and squeezing them back but perhaps also to protect the back four.

Their first chances came on the break. Timo Werner flashed Tottenham’s first effort of the night over from an angle on the left and Heung-min Son was unable to beat goalkeeper Jack Butland with a better chance created by Maddison.

Rangers summoned another spell of pressure before the interval. Forster made two splendid saves from Vaclav Cerny who found space behind Destiny Udogie. Cerny swerved another over from just outside the penalty box and Jefte charged forward and delivered a low cross which fizzed across goal from the Rangers left.

The hosts did not allow the blow of losing centre-half John Souttar before half time to knock them out of their stride.

Souttar’s injury is not what Phillippe Clement would have wanted ahead of Sunday’s League Cup Final against Celtic.

Postecoglou sent on Kulusevski for Werner, in hope it might give his team more going forward but they were behind just 81 seconds after the restart. James Tavernier produced an excellent cross on the run from the right, and Pedro Porro failed to engage the run by Igamane who coverted at the back post.

The Moroccan forward has five in his last five games and this goal inspired his team.

Rangers even better once ahead. Spurs were creaking and hesitant, pinned back in their defensive third and Postecoglou had to try something. On came Solanke. Pape Matar Sarr and Lucas Bergvall, whose first touch was a volley narrowly wide.

As ever, they improved with Solanke leading the line. Maddison curled free-kick over and Butland denied Porro but Rangers rose again after changes of their own and Tottenham were made to fight for their point.

Forster made a fabulous save from substitute Dessers, screaming at his defenders as he climbed to his feet. Then Dessers found the net only for the Swiss officials to rule it out for offside.

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