This was a battling draw for Rangers celebrated as boisterously as any victory.
Trailing by two goals at half-time and already down to 10 men after Ross McCausland’s red card, Barry Ferguson’s much-changed side somehow fought their way back to claim the most unlikely of points.
Ferguson had rested most of his regulars ahead of Thursday night’s Europa League return leg against Athletic Bilbao but ended up calling on a few from the bench as Aberdeen’s influence waned and opportunity for Rangers unexpectedly knocked.
Deep into injury-time they struck, Jefte teeing up Ianis Hagi to curl a sumptuous equaliser beyond Ross Doohan and silence the majority of the Pittodrie crowd.
It’s a result that will matter little for Rangers in the league given they have been nailed on to finish second for months now, but what a boon it will give them ahead of their journey to Spain — even if precious few of those involved here will also start that one.
It had more telling ramifications both for Aberdeen — who passed up a great chance to move up to third — and for Celtic.
Ianis Hagi silences a rowdy Pittodrie crowd with his 96th-minute leveller for Rangers
The Romanian’s sumptuous finish was the final act in a dramatic day of action
Interim Rangers boss Barry Ferguson was embroiled in a heated exchange at full-time
Brendan Rodgers’ side would have officially clinched a fourth successive league championship with an Aberdeen victory but Hagi’s intervention means the champagne will stay on ice until after the start of the post-split fixtures, even if Celtic’s vastly superior goal difference is effectively worth a point in itself.
Ferguson knew the consequences of a possible defeat but picked the team he wanted regardless, aware that nothing matters more for Rangers now than what happens in Bilbao.
It would be something of an understatement to call it an unfamiliar line-up, with some players thrust blinking into the spotlight after months in the shadows or lying on a treatment table.
Teenage midfielder Findlay Curtis made his first start for the club at left wing-back. There was a rare sighting of Oscar Cortes, the Lens loanee who Rangers are obliged to buy in the summer, and just a second start for defender Rafael Fernandes in a back three alongside Clinton Nsiala and Robin Propper.
Anyone likely to play in Spain this week — apart from goalkeeper Liam Kelly — was either on the bench or left out altogether.
That plan to give weary legs the afternoon off, however, came unstuck after just 20 minutes when Fernandes went down with an injury. On came James Tavernier in his place, with Connor Barron rushing over to present him with the armband.
Given the relentless abuse the former Aberdeen midfielder received all afternoon, relinquishing the captaincy meant one less thing to have to worry about.
The home side should have been in front by that point. The opening stages had been a bit of a slow burner as Sunday lunchtime kick-offs often are but Aberdeen were definitely on top and ought to have had an early goal to show for it. Shayden Morris did brilliantly to spin away from Curtis but then dragged his shot well wide of the far post.
That was the sort of opportunity they might have regretted but Aberdeen simply shrugged off that disappointment and kept on coming. They missed another glaring chance when Mats Knoester somehow lifted a Graeme Shinnie centre over the crossbar when it looked easier to score. Again, though, they weren’t deterred and by half-time they were presiding over a deserved two-goal lead.
Topi Keskinen was enjoying the freedom of the left wing with McCausland doing next to nothing to stop him and it was no surprise when the opener came from another enterprising dribble from the Finn.
Barron ended his run unceremoniously, his late tackle presenting Aberdeen with a free-kick just outside the box on the left-hand side. Leighton Clarkson shaped to cross but instead curled in an effort that crept in at the near post with pinpoint accuracy. Kelly, Rangers’ hero on Thursday night following his penalty save, was made to look foolish as he dived along his line but too late to keep the ball out.
Aberdeen had the goal their play merited after 30 minutes of supremacy and a second would follow after McCausland had received a needless second yellow card for chopping down Keskinen, an act that ended a miserable afternoon for the Northern Ireland international who offered little in either attack or defence.
Leighton Clarkson had fired the home side into a 31st-minute lead with a terrific free-kick
If Morris was feeling left out as Keskinen saw plenty of the ball on the left, then he would get his moment late in the half as the Dons doubled their advantage. The winger burned past poor Curtis as if the youngster was trapped in quicksand before crossing for Pape Habib Gueye to apply a composed finish beyond Kelly.
Rangers had barely offered anything as an attacking force by this point but did have the ball in the net in one of the last pieces of action of the first half. Curtis demonstrated he’s built more for attacking than defending as he fashioned an opening for Danilo, whose header was saved. Hamza Igamane lashed home the rebound only for VAR to rule that Curtis had run the ball over the line before crossing.
That was a contentious moment but Rangers — bolstered by two half-time substitutions — did land a legitimate goal four minutes after the restart. Curtis did well to flick a header into Igamane’s path and the striker did the rest, working his way past a clutch of Aberdeen defenders before rifling a left-foot shot past Doohan to hand his team an unlikely lifeline in a match in which they had been very much second best.
That placed a seed of doubt in Aberdeen’s minds. They thought they had landed a third goal to seal matters when Kevin Nisbet flashed a shot past Kelly only for it to be ruled out for handball.
Kevin Nisbet thought he had put the Dons 3-1 ahead late on before his effort was ruled out
That proved costly when Rangers landed an equaliser after five minutes of time added on. Aberdeen looked to have survived when Cyriel Dessers thrashed his effort off the post but Jefte teed up Hagi to lash in a spectacular finish.
Rangers had made — and earned — their point.
Aberdeen (4-2-3-1): Doohan 6; Jensen 6, Dorrington 6, Knoester 6, Shinnie 7; Palaversa 6 (Devlin 64), Clarkson 7; Morris 7 (Okkels 59), Gueye 7 (Sokler 59), Keskinen 8 (Dabbagh 64); Nisbet 6. Booked: Palaversa. Manager: Jimmy Thelin 7.
Rangers (3-4-3): Kelly 6; Fernandes 4 (Tavernier 20), Propper 6, Nsiala 6; McCausland 3, Barron 6, Bajrami 5 (Hagi 68), Curtis 6 (Dessers 75); Danilo 4 (Diomande 46), Igamane 7, Cortes 4 (Jefte 46). Booked: Hagi. Sent off: McCausland. Manager: Barry Ferguson 6.
Referee: Steven McLean.
Attendance: 18,863.
