Photo: ca.sports.yahoo.com
McInnes' Ibrox nightmare on day one
Derek McInnes had probably imagined his first home match as Rangers manager going differently. Instead, Callum Wright put Hibernian 2-1 up in injury time at Ibrox, Josh Campbell had already scored from the spot after a VAR intervention, and Youssef Chermiti was being carried off on a stretcher. Scottish Premiership football is back, then.
The nightmare in full
McInnes took the Rangers job knowing the scrutiny would be relentless β but losing at home on matchday one, to Hibernian, is a brutal opening chapter. Lose this one and the questions start immediately.
David Gray's side were composed throughout. Campbell converted from the penalty spot after a VAR review gave Hibs the opening they needed, and when Wright drove home a winner deep into added time, the away end at Ibrox had a moment that will be replayed for a while.
Rangers' afternoon was compounded by the sight of Chermiti being stretchered off. The severity of the striker's injury is not yet known, but losing a forward that way β on the first day of the season, at home, in a defeat β is a grim visual to take into the week.
The bigger picture
Over at Rugby Park, Celtic were getting their own opening day done, winning in Kilmarnock despite Martin O'Neill being absent following an operation. A player named HΓΈgh came close to a hat-trick but couldn't complete it β which, given Celtic's afternoon ended in a win regardless, is the kind of footnote that hurts more in hindsight than it did at the time.
The early-season title picture in Scotland is already doing its job: Celtic winning, Rangers losing, and a Hibernian side under Gray looking like they mean business. McInnes has work to do β and he has roughly four days before the next fixture to start doing it.
Sources: The Guardian; BBC Sport Scotland
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