Rangers ripped the Premiership curtains open as two goals in two minutes spared the Ibrox men their first top-flight opening day defeat in 24 years.
Gio van Bronckhorst’s team looked to be on course for a repeat of the defeat they suffered to Hearts in Dick Advocaat’s first season in charge back in 1998 after Joel Nouble gave Livingston a shock lead. The big Englishman gave Rangers the run-around for most of the first-half while the rest of his team-mates worked tirelessly to add to Rangers’ frustrations.
But relief came with 18 minutes left as first Scott Arfield flicked home a header to level before skipper James Tavernier followed that up almost immediately with a perfectly-struck free-kick to get the Scottish Cup winners off and running. The SPFL’s decision to introduce VAR half-way through the campaign was always bound to cause controversy and of course, it arrived on the opening day as referee Don Robertson was instructed to chop off an Antonio Colak equaliser just after half-time that was proven by replies to be onside.
Jon McLaughlin appears to have won the battle to be Rangers’ new No.1 after being handed the start over Allan McGregor.
There were debuts for John Soutar, Tom Lawrence and Antonio Colak.
Livingston also had two of their summer recruits involved, with former Colchester keeper Shamal George starting alongside defender Phillip Cancar.
Neither Souttar nor Cancar would finish the game though. The Livi man had to be replaced midway through the first-half before he was sent off after a string of fouls while Souttar endured a torrid afternoon being pulled one way then the other by Nouble.
The Rangers fans behind Shamal George’s goal ignited a huge pyro display as the game got under way.
As the smoke flooded onto the pitch, Gers almost burst through for an instant opener as Ryan Kent just failed to latch onto Tavernier’s ball across goal.
But it was Livi who pounced first to leave three sides of the ground stunned into silence.
Nicky Devlin was allowed to rise unchallenged to meet George’s long free-kick but even still, the defender’s knock-down should have been dealt with by Souttar.
The Scotland defender was hoping to make a good impression on his official Gers debut but was instead left looking red-faced as he failed to prevent Nouble rolling past him to lob over the stranded McLaughlin.
It was a woeful start for the Europa League runners-up but time was on their side.
The minutes, however, quickly ticked their way towards half-time without van Bronckhorst’s ragged outfit testing George.
Lawrence had a couple of long-range efforts that sailed over but mostly the travelling Ibrox faithful were left to vent their frustrations as heavy touches were followed by loose passes and over-hit crosses.
If anything, Gers were lucky not to be going in two-down after Lundtram, left with two players to mark, let Ayo Obileye run free to connect with an Andrew Shinnie set-piece.
The ball flew straight into McLaughlin’s arms but it was a golden chance for Davie Martindale’s team to double their advantage.
Rangers required a change if they were to disrupt the pattern of an ineffectual first 45 so van Bronckhorst acted at the break, sacrificing Scott Wright as Malik Tillman entered for a debut.
It took until the Ibrox side four minutes into the second period before Tavernier finally forced George into his first save.
They had the ball in the net three minutes later but Colak’s celebrations were immediately cut short by an offside flag after the Croatian had nodded home from Kent’s cross.
TV pictures showed it should have stood but the officials will be relieved it did not turn out to be a decisive blunder.
Tillman was getting involved too but blew two golden chances to level as Gers’ angst mounted in the face of Livi’s dogged, well-organised resistance.
Jon Lundstram swept a shot just wide before Lawrence arrived a moment too late to tap home from a Colak header.
But just as the away fans crammed round Almondvale began to lose hope, one of the old stagers came to Rangers’ rescue.
First Arfield darted across the front post to flick home with a brilliantly angled header that snuck past George’s despairing reach.
And before the celebrations had even died down, the Rangers support were off their feet again as Tavernier whipped home another set-piece special to seal the points.
Jon’s in Soappy bubble
Jon Souttar’s hopes of making a positive first impression on his Gers debut went down the tubes as he endured a day to forget in West Lothian.
The former Hearts defender has big shoes to fill after taking Calvin Bassey’s place in van Bronckorst’s line-up.
But he may find himself occupying a place on the bench in the weeks to come with Ben Davies still to come into the gaffer’s squad after failing to get to grips with Nouble.
It was his mistake which allowed the big Englishman to roll round and lob McLaughlin for the opener.
He was lucky the former Arbroath striker didn’t add another just after half-time after bouncing the Scotland ace onto his backside.
With confidence sagging, things continued to go wrong with a series of stay passes before van Bronckhorst eventually hooked him 67 minutes in.
The Rangers support would be advised against making snap judgements but there’s no doubt Souttar will have to raise his game if he’s to become an Ibrox regular.
Officials on the wrong wavelength as VAR wait goes on
Introducing TV technology midway through the season always looked a recipe for disaster given the potential for a season-defining incident to take place before our refs get their hands on the TV technology.
But Don Robertson and his assistants will be tightly relieved their decision to chop off Antonio Colak’s equaliser just after half-time did not prove to be a game-changing blunder.
Colak will be especially frustrated not to have got off the mark given the dearth of service he’d had until that point.
The Croatian frontman had touched the ball just four times before he nodded home from a Ryan Kent cross but was denied the plaudits by the erroneous offside call.
Almost nobbled by Nouble
Rangers simply didn’t know how to handle Livi’s big striker. Connor Goldson, Souttar and Glen Kamara were all booked trying to contain the giant striker.
Goldson looked scared of his rapid turn of pace while Souttar was left scrambling every time he tried to match the 26-year-old in a test of strength.
It was that physicality which allowed him to muscle past the Scotland stopper but there was a cool finish too as he lobbed over Jon McLaughlin five minutes in to give the Lions a shock lead.
Nouble spent last season on loan at Arbroath but he already looks like he’s more than cut out for the top-flight. Certainly one to watch as the season progresses.
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