Olwethu Makhanya scores header against HeartsSNS

Olwethu Makhanya's towering header snatched a point for Rangers at Tynecastle

At a glance

  • Makhanya header rescues point for Rangers on McInnes' return to Tynecastle

  • Hearts goals from Braga and Miller cancel out Kelsy's opener

  • Draw keeps Rangers four points behind Celtic and four above Hearts

Watch Hearts v Rangers highlights

28/10/26

Watch on iPlayer
Nick McPheat
BBC Sport Scotland

Olwethu Makhanya's late header rescued a Scottish Premiership point for Rangers and ensured they did not lose more ground on leaders Celtic on a hostile return to Hearts for their former manager Derek McInnes.

It looked like the depleted hosts would roar back from a goal down to sour McInnes' first trip back to Tynecastle after second-half strikes from Claudio Braga and Calvin Miller cancelled out Kevin Kelsy's 16th-minute opener.

But a wide free-kick in the closing stages found the head of Makhanya - Rangers' standout performer - whose looping effort silenced a boisterous home crowd and levelled a thrilling encounter.

The draw extended the Ibrox side's unbeaten streak to 10 matches, while also stretching Hearts' remarkable unbeaten home run in the league to 26 games.

But this result will feel like a defeat for Wouter Vrancken's men, who will think they deserved a comeback win.

Disjointed Rangers, meanwhile, will settle for the point after Celtic's draw with Dundee United means the gap at the top remains four points.

Hearts analysis: Depleted side impress

Given the context around this game, the sight of McInnes raising his arms in the visiting dugout after Rangers' late equaliser will be a sickener for Hearts fans.

However, they can be proud of a depleted side who were missing eight first-team players, plus another after a first-half injury to makeshift full-back Rogers Mato.

Amid a hectic schedule, Vrancken's men were relentless in their pursuit of a memorable fightback victory, inspired by Braga on his 27th birthday.

The Portuguese striker's decision-making was questionable at times - as was that of his team-mates - but his work-rate was infectious, showing bravery to turn in Malachi Fagan-Walcott's header back across goal after a wide free-kick.

His driving run into the left of the box, followed by a deflected attempt, then led to Miller smashing Hearts in front.

Better execution on the counter would have taken this game away from Rangers, adding to the pain Vrancken and his players will feel, but that will all be forgotten if they can dispatch bitter rivals Hibernian in Sunday's League Cup semi-final.

Graphic

Rangers analysis: Point reward for disjointed display

Rangers were well off it for the majority of this, yet still somehow could have left with all three points after Dujon Sterling failed to convert from just yards out with seconds remaining.

Most of the unconvincing visitors' chances came in the latter stages, failing to offer much in attack throughout and plenty in encouragement to a Hearts side that capitalised in the second half.

That said, ending the night without losing ground at the top while ensuring the distance between themselves and Hearts remains the same is perhaps something McInnes would have shaken on pre-match.

However, the Rangers boss will be concerned about elements of a performance that saw his team overwhelmed as they head into their own League Cup semi-final with Aberdeen.

Player of the match

C. Miller
7.58
7 C. Miller
7.58
10 Cláudio Braga
7.56
15 J. McPake
7.36
29 S. Kerjota
6.92
23 J. Altena
6.84
22 T. Magnússon
6.77
64 M. Fagan-Walcott
6.70
5 J. McCart
6.42
1 B. Reus
6.34
3 S. Kingsley
6.31
78 L. Mendy
6.29
74 R. Mato
5.88
19 S. Guendouz
5.26
21 J. Wilson
5.03
9 J. Williams
4.34
Back to team tabs

After the opportunity to rate players has closed, the score displayed represents the average from all the submissions by BBC Sport users.

What they said

'I thought he was going to thank me!' - McInnes' tongue-in-cheek response to frosty handshake