Lawrence opener for Rangers given after VAR overturns offside call
Hibernian's Kuharevich has penalty saved after Souttar handball
Rangers remain third but reduce gap to top two to five points
Hibs ninth in Premiership, three points off top six
Rangers 0-0 Hibernian
Tom Lawrence curls a drive superbly into the top corner.
However, the flag goes up immediately as Ross McCausland's through ball finds the Rangers midfielder in an offside position.
VAR check nevertheless.
Rangers 0-0 Hibernian
Kheredine Idessane
BBC Scotland at Ibrox
Vaclav Cerny has seen a fair amount of the ball for Rangers.
Sadly for the wide man, there has been little of quality about his involvement so far, failing to get hold of any of the shots he's tried so far.
Better required from Rangers, all round, as Hibs goalkeeper Josef Bursik has had precious little to do in the opening half hour or so.
Rangers 0-0 Hibernian
Another failure to clear their lines from a corner, another sight at goal for Kwon Hyeok-kyu.
However, the on-loan Celtic midfielder fires wide of Rangers' near post.
Rangers 0-0 Hibernian
A good, last-ditch challenge from Hibs centre-half Marvin Ekpiteta is required to prevent Hamza Igamane getting on the end of a ball into the six-yard box.
Rangers 0-0 Hibernian
Scott Allan
Former Celtic & Hibernian midfielder on BBC Sportsound
He does well to win the ball. It's getting away from him. Ask any footballer, they can't pull out of that one.
Hibs are unhappy because the players don't think it was bad and they were on the attack.
Rangers 0-0 Hibernian
Steven Thompson
Former Rangers striker on Sportsound
It's the speed at which he went into the tackle. I wonder if he slipped as he went into the challenge.
He wins the ball cleanly, it's not high. I think Nick Walsh has called it correctly.
Rangers 0-0 Hibernian
Hibs midfielder Nectarios Triantis is the first to go into the book.
A strong challenge leaves Rangers counterpart Nico Raskin writhing in pain.
Rangers 0-0 Hibernian
A superb, jinking run from Ross McCausland and he finds fellow Rangers winger Vaclav Cerny on the edge of the penalty box.
However, the Czech has another shot blocked.
Rangers 0-0 Hibernian
Rangers should have made more of that one.
Jefte rides a challenge and the left-back's low cross finds Vaclav Cerny, but the winger's attempted first-time shot trickles wide of the far post.
Rangers 0-0 Hibernian
Kheredine Idessane
BBC Scotland at Ibrox
After barely touching the ball in the first five minutes, there are now signs that Hibs are settling into this one.
Their defensive line is not quite so deep, Rangers have failed to trouble them overly and head coach David Gray is a fairly happy chap on the sidelines, hands in pockets.
His counterpart, Philippe Clement, goes back into the dugout for a chat with his coaching team. He may well feel things are a bit flat at the moment.
Rangers 0-0 Hibernian
James Tavernier has been wasteful with his corners. The latest from the Rangers captain swings over the heads of everyone and out for a throw-in.
The home side have struggled to create anything from open play so far and these set-pieces could be crucial.
Rangers 0-0 Hibernian
Steven Thompson
Former Rangers striker on Sportsound
There's a lack of tempo starting to emerge for Rangers, which will not be pleasing Philippe Clement.
Everything is a wee bit pedestrian and slow in the build-up.
Rangers 0-0 Hibernian
Image source, SNSMotherwell manager Stuart Kettlewell in the stands at Ibrox...
Image source, SNSAlongside former Aberdeen boss Neil Warnock.
Rangers 0-0 Hibernian
Kheredine Idessane
BBC Scotland at Ibrox
Good refereeing from Nick Walsh so far. There have been a couple of incidents that a more card-happy official might have started booking people for.
This early in the match, however, the man in the middle seems happy simply to speak to the players involved.
Rangers 0-0 Hibernian
Another good chance for the visitors following their first corner.
The ball falls to Kwon Hyeok-kyu, but the on-loan Celtic midfielder's powerful drive is superbly blocked by Rangers centre-back John Souttar.
Rangers 0-0 Hibernian
Kheredine Idessane
BBC Scotland at Ibrox
Hibs are set up to try to contain Rangers and hit them on the break, but they'll want to see more of the action in the opposing half as the match goes on, or they could be in for a long afternoon.
Comfortable start so far for Rangers, without creating anything of note.
Rangers 0-0 Hibernian
Vaclav Cerny is next to threaten for Rangers and Hamza Igamane is close to getting a touch on the winger's cross as it heads for another corner.
Rangers 0-0 Hibernian
Rangers race up the other end and, as Hibs fail to clear their lines, Tom Lawrence's low drive takes a nick wide.
From the corner, fellow midfielder Connor Barron's flicked header finds the top of the net.
Rangers 0-0 Hibernian
Big chance for Hibs!
Jack Butland makes a bit of a mess of coming to Chris Cadden's deep cross.
The goalkeeper can only tip it away, but Junior Hoilett can only volley well over from 15 yards.
Rangers 0-0 Hibernian
Rangers are stroking it about, with Hibs, as expected, looking to threaten on the break.
No threat to either goalkeeper as yet.
Tom Lawrence's magnificent strike proved to be the match winner
Disjointed Rangers ground out a narrow Scottish Premiership win over Hibernian thanks to Tom Lawrence's wonderful goal.
Off the back of the Europa League win over Malmo on Thursday, Rangers manager Philippe Clement made four changes to his starting team, with a first start for striker Hamza Igamane, but it resulted in a below-par first-half performance.
The hosts struggled to create chances against a well-structured Hibs defence, but Lawrence's curling effort towards the end of the half, stepping in off the left flank, found the far top corner and proved to be the match winner as VAR overruled an offside call.
Hibs were handed a golden opportunity to equalise on the stroke of half-time when Nick Walsh awarded them a penalty after VAR advised the referee of a handball by John Souttar.
However, Mykola Kuharevich's spot-kick was easily saved by goalkeeper Jack Butland down to his right.
After the break both sides spurned good chances, as Cyriel Dessers' header was superbly saved at point-blank range, Robin Propper missed the target twice in quick succession and Dwight Gayle nodded just wide on his Hibs debut.
The result means Rangers stay third in the table - five points behind Celtic and Aberdeen - while Hibs are ninth.
Clement cut a frustrated figure throughout the first half in particular, having started Igamane, Jefte, Nicolas Raskin and Ross McCausland - who scored against Malmo off the bench - in an attempt to keep his squad fresh.
They failed to create any chances of note initially though, and it took a moment of magic to find a way to goal.
Hibs found joy down the sides and in behind, and as they often have in the past year or so, Rangers needed heroics from their goalkeeper.
The Belgian manager showed his discontent with a double change at half-time, with Raskin and McCausland both hooked.
Misplaced passes and a lack of intensity led to increased consternation from the home support as the second half went on.
It felt like Clement's side were going through the motions. There was no real zip to them and they are still to prove they can produce consistently high levels of performance.
After the high at Malmo in midweek, this felt like a missed opportunity to build momentum, despite the result.
Rangers had fewer touches in the opposition box than Hibs, and had a lower xG tally than the visitors, highlighting their lack of cutting edge and attacking threat.
The introduction of Dessers in the second half provided a much-needed presence up front, and he must have thought he had scored late on, only to see Josef Bursik almost miraculously parry his header to safety.
Rangers are back in European action on Thursday, as they welcome Europa League opponents Lyon to Ibrox (20:00 BST).
David Gray switched to a somewhat more defensive line-up for the trip to Glasgow, and would have been pleased with how his Hibs side started the contest.
Hibs were solid, looked assured in their roles as a unit and posed a threat when they won possession back.
Junior Hoilett - who was bright down the left - spooned an early effort over the bar, while Kwon Hyeok-Kyu saw one shot blocked and another well saved.
Kuharevich applied himself well up front, but his penalty was weak and failed to find the bottom corner, the kind of chance that cannot be passed up at Ibrox.
They continued to disrupt Rangers after the break though, and deserved to take something from the game.
Gray's side have visibly grown from their early outings this season, but the head coach will be infuriated by his side's inability to test Butland.
Kuharevich, Kwon, Elie Youan, Marvin Ekpiteta and Gayle all missed the target when presented with sights of goal, and the Leith outfit will look back on this defeat with real regret.
They host Motherwell in the Premiership on Saturday (15:00).
Rangers manager Philippe Clement: "The performance was not incredible, but that's difficult playing that early after a European game away.
"The recovery time was much less. Some leagues look at giving teams more recovery time. I saw less freshness in the players than I have in the last couple of weeks. That's normal."
On Hibs' penalty, Rangers' manager adds: "Unhappy is not the right word - more confused. We discussed this with the referees before the season. The decisions have been much better, but I don't see what John [Souttar] can do differently. It's a short distance. He cannot make his arms disappear."
Hibernian head coach David Gray: "I'll never accept losing games of football, but if there is a way to lose, it's probably that.
"The players put absolutely everything into that. I can't fault it at all. The gameplan was good, the chances we created were good ones. The least we deserved was a point.
"The boys are gutted because they've put so much in, but there's a lot of positives to take, so there's very mixed emotions.
"I thought we were going to get the goal and, if we got one, I think we would've gone on to win the game."
| Position | Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 20 | 18 |
| |
| 2 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 4 | 8 | 18 |
| |
| 3 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 4 | 6 | 13 |
| |
| 4 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 7 | 2 | 10 |
| |
| 5 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 9 | 7 | 2 | 9 |
| |
| 6 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 11 | 13 | -2 | 8 |
| |
| 7 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 7 | 12 | -5 | 7 |
| |
| 8 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 10 | 11 | -1 | 6 |
| |
| 9 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 9 | -4 | 5 |
| |
| 10 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 8 | 17 | -9 | 4 |
| |
| 11 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 15 | -9 | 3 |
| |
| 12 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 12 | -8 | 2 |
|
Manager: Philippe Clement
Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1
Manager: David Gray
Formation: 4 - 4 - 2
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Rangers have won each of their last six league meetings with Hibernian, last winning more in a row versus Hibs in May 2005 under Alex McLeish (11). At Ibrox, the Gers have won their last 10 in a row against Hibernian.
Hibernian are winless in 22 league meetings with Rangers (D6 L16) since a 2-1 victory in February 2018 under Neil Lennon.
Rangers have won each of their last three matches at Ibrox in all competitions by an aggregate score of 11-0. The Gers last won four straight home games without conceding from November 2021 to February 2022 under Giovanni van Bronkchorst (run of 9).
Hibernian have only won one of their last 12 away league outings (D7 L4), a 3-1 victory at St. Johnstone in April last season.
Cyriel Dessers has scored four goals in his last three home league games; the only players to score in four successive Scottish Premiership appearances at Ibrox for Rangers since their promotion in 2016 are Alfredo Morelos (twice), Antonio Colak, and Todd Cantwell.
