Rangers 0 Hearts 0

By Ken Gaunt, PA Sport

Gilles Rousset put a little bit of a dampener on Rangers' Premier League title celebrations on Sunday night at Ibrox with a faultless display.

The new Scottish champions missed two second-half penalties and failed to score for only the second time in 17 League and Cup games since the winter break.

Hearts keeper Rousset capped a fine performance by beating away the first spot kick from Jorg Albertz in the 54th minute with his legs.

Then the giant Frenchman looked on as Gabriel Amato steered his spot kick wide of the post 16 minutes later.

With Rangers securing the title last week against Celtic and Hearts safe from relegation this game lacked any real urgency.

It was such a contrast to the mayhem at Parkhead last week when referee Hugh Dallas was struck by a coin and four fans encroached onto the pitch.

Rangers were without striker Rod Wallace who was suspended after being sent off last week, along with Celtic duo Stephane Mahe and Vidar Riseth.

Neil McCann again played through the middle alongside Amato but they missed Wallace's scoring instinct.

Entertainer Andy Cameron led the near 50,000 crowd in a pre-match rendition of 'Singing In The Rain' adding the words: "We're champions again."

But it was late into the second half that the fans had something to shout about when Rangers raised the tempo of the game.

Hearts, however, should have taken the lead after just four minutes when former Celtic striker Darren Jackson knocked the ball wide after Stephane Adam played it back into his path following a cross from Gary McSwegan.

Rangers' first chance felt to Claudio Reyna, who flicked the ball wide of the post after Tony Vidmar's throw in had been touched on by Amato.

Rousset did superbly well to turn away a shot from Lorenzo Amoruso but Hearts were making a decent fist of it.

Colin Cameron was marginally off-target after McSwegan had played the ball through before Amoruso again came close with a fierce effort.

Rangers had started the second-half brightly and Andrei Kanchelskis saw his goal-bound shot deflected to safety by Hearts defender Gary Naysmith.

The Hearts supporters were shocked in the 54th minute when Grant Murray was pulled up for a foul on substitute Jonatan Johansson.

It seemed a soft penalty and Rousset evened the score by beating away Albertz's penalty.

Hearts striker Jackson squandered another good chance on the hour, finding the side netting after a glorious pass from Scott Severin.

Hearts had another escape with 20 minutes to go when Paul Ritchie was pulled up for a foul on Amato.

The Argentinian striker dusted himself down before sending his spot-kick wide of the post.

Rousset again came to Hearts rescue with 12 minutes remaining with a splendid double save, first from the luckless Amato then substitute Derek McInnes.

Rangers had to settle for a draw but that didn't stop the party beginning with the presentation of the Premier League trophy after the game in front of the Ibrox faithful.

Teams

Rangers: Klos, Porrini, Amoruso, Wilson, Vidmar (Johansson 25), Kanchelskis (McInnes 72), Van Bronckhorst, Amato, Albertz, McCann, Reyna (Nicholson 90).

Subs Not Used: Niemi, Riccio.

Booked: McCann, McInnes.

Hearts: Rousset, Naysmith, Ritchie, Adam (Kirk 85), Cameron, Jackson, Locke, Pressley, Murray, Severin, McSwegan (Guerin 85).

Subs Not Used: McPherson, McKenzie, Carricomdo.

Booked: Pressley, Jackson.

Att: 49,495

Ref: S Dougal (Burnside).


Taken from sportinglife.com