Rangers' Clydesdale Bank Premier League title hopes took another blow when they were forced to fight back from behind to earn a 1-1 draw against Aberdeen.
Kari Arnason opened the scoring in the second half, before Maurice Edu levelled four minutes later but neither side had the cutting edge to claim the winner.
The result was not enough for the Dons to end a wait of more than two decades for a win at Ibrox but they would have headed back to Pittodrie the happier of the two sides with the outcome.
Rangers made just one change from last week's win over St Johnstone, with goalkeeper Allan McGregor recovering from a thigh injury, meaning Neil Alexander was back on the bench. The Dons drafted Rory Fallon and Josh Magennis into the side in place of Andrew Considine and Mohamed Chalali, while Rory McArdle passed a late fitness test to start.
In the first couple of minutes, the home side forced an early corner which was whipped into the box by former Dons winger Sone Aluko, but Nikica Jelavic was off target with a header that dipped just over the crossbar. At the other end, Ryan Jack slotted into the path of Magennis but his tame shot was comfortably collected by McGregor.
Rangers' best chance so far came when a header from Jelavic was pushed onto the crossbar by goalkeeper Jason Brown. Aluko then forced his way past the Dons goalkeeper in the six-yard box but McArdle hooked to safety before Aluko could unleash the close-range shot and open the scoring against his previous team.
Former captain David Weir made a farewell appearance on the pitch at half-time and was presented with a commemorative gift from chairman Craig Whyte to mark his service to the club over the last five years.
After the break, Steven Davis set up Jelavic, who could not find the target at full stretch. The Dons had a great chance of their own when McGregor fumbled a corner and Carlos Bocanegra cleared off the line but the visitors were ahead after 63 minutes when Arnason met a Chris Clark ball and curled past the Rangers goalkeeper.
The Scottish champions were back on level terms just four minutes later when the ball broke for Edu to rifle high into the top corner of the net. Rangers had received a massive lift from the equaliser and Edu could have grabbed his second of the day with less than 10 minutes to go.
The American midfielder raced onto a great pass from Jelavic before producing a well-struck shot that whistled inches past the post. Kyle Bartley then bulleted a header over from a Gregg Wylde cross and Aluko forced a superb save from Brown but Rangers could not find the winner.
Source: PA
