Rangers kept the Scottish Premiership title race firmly alive as they closed the gap on leaders Hearts to four points, moving to 47 points after 23 games with a convincing 3-0 win over Dundee at Ibrox.
With Celtic a further two points back in third, the victory tightened matters at the top and ensured the pressure remains firmly on Hearts, who continue to set the pace on 51 points.
For long spells, the contest felt far tighter than the final score suggests. Rangers dominated possession throughout the first half but struggled to break down a well-organised Dundee side, who defended resolutely and limited clear openings. The hosts thought they had taken the lead when Tochi Chukwuani found the net, only for VAR to correctly rule the effort out for offside.
Thelo Aasgaard went closest before the break with a long-range strike that forced Jon McCracken into a smart save, while Dundee remained disciplined and compact to frustrate Rangers going into half-time.
The breakthrough arrived just three minutes after the restart. Aasgaard slipped an inviting ball into the penalty area, Nicolas Raskin went to ground under pressure, and James Tavernier stepped up to smash the resulting penalty into the top-left corner of the net.
Rangers managed the closing stages well, and any lingering tension was removed deep into stoppage time. Dundee were caught out, the ball fell kindly for Danilo, and the striker drove forward before firing past McCracken from distance to make it 2-0.
There was still time for one more. Substitute Djeidi Gassama picked up possession outside the box and curled a fine effort beyond McCracken to complete the scoring and put a comfortable look on the result.
Dundee’s defensive discipline kept them in the contest for much of the afternoon, but Rangers’ pressure eventually told, with late goals ensuring the hosts finished strongly at Ibrox.
Patience rewarded as Rangers finish strongly
Sky Sports’ Sam Cohen:
“Rangers were made to work far harder than the scoreline suggests, but patience was key. Dundee’s defensive organisation frustrated the hosts for long periods, yet Rangers stuck to their task and were rewarded with an early second-half breakthrough.
“Tavernier’s penalty changed the tone of the game, forcing Dundee to open up and allowing Rangers to find space late on. The final two goals arrived when legs were tiring, but they reflected the dominance Rangers had built across the 90 minutes.
“It wasn’t fluent for long spells, but it was controlled, composed and ultimately effective, exactly what Rangers needed.”