Dundee denied as Arteta’s late penalty rescues Rangers

Dundee 2 Rangers 2

On an extraordinary afternoon which saw Scotland defender Lee Wilkie score an own goal and concede two penalties, both of which were missed by Barry Ferguson, Rangers came perilously close to a defeat which would have taken matters out of their hands at a most crucial time.

Celtic can now move level on points, however, and go ahead on goal difference if they win by four, with a midweek success at bottom club Motherwell.

It is the tightest championship race for years and this match seemed to have a season's worth of incident packed into it, including two stunning first-half strikes from Dundee striker Fabian Caballero. Wilkie had been claimed as the fall guy in the very first minute when he managed to turn an Arthur Numan cross from the left past his own goalkeeper.

It was Caballero who began asking the questions the title pretenders could not answer. The home side had threatened only rarely before the Argentinean, who had postponed his South American wedding so it would not clash with the Tennent's Scottish Cup final, fired in a well-struck equaliser in the 17th minute.

His second, in the 28th minute, was even better as he picked the ball up from near the halfway line before taking advantage of retreating defenders to send a scorching 25-yard shot into the net.

Rangers pushed men forward in the second-half and Wilkie had to throw himself in the way of a Ricksen shot after Craig Moore had won a header at the back post.

The game returned to its earlier status where anything could happen and did. First Wilkie conceded his second spot-kick of the day when he needlessly barged Arveladze over as the pair chased a long ball from Ricksen. Ferguson stepped up again and saw Speroni dive to save. Seconds later and referee John Rowbotham was pointing to the spot again having been convinced David Mackay had handled in the box.

This time Arteta took it and made no mistake.

DUNDEE: Speroni, Mackay, Khizanishvili, Wilkie, Carranza (Milne 75), Rae, Smith, Nemsadze (Mair 90), Hernandez Santos, Caballero, Lovell (Burchill 75).

RANGERS: Klos, Muscat (Hughes 81), Malcolm, Moore, Numan, Ricksen, Ferguson, Arteta, de Boer (Arveladze 67), Mols, Lovenkrands (Caniggia 67).

Referee: J Rowbotham.