Rangers made a sluggish start to their title defence as the Scottish champions were held to a 1-1 draw by Hearts on the opening day of the season on Saturday.

Ally McCoist’s competitive debut as Rangers manager, 28 years after he made his playing bow for the Glasgow club, didn’t start happily when Uganda’s David Obua headed Hearts into a 16th minute lead at Ibrox.

Obua and David Templeton had chances to increase Hearts’ lead before half-time, but Rangers improved in the second-half and debutant Juan Manuel Ortiz crossed for Steven Naismith to nod home the second half equaliser.

Nikica Jelavic had an effort ruled out for offside seven minutes later, but Allan McGregor had to be alert to stop Obua’s shot sneaking in and Rangers will need a far better display in their Champions League qualifier against Malmo on Tuesday.

Old Firm rivals Celtic open their league campaign against Hibernian at Easter Road on Sunday.
McCoist conceded that his side had been disappointing in the first-half, but he took some consolation from the way the hosts regained control after the break.

“We changed it a little bit at half-time and I don’t think there was any doubt we were a better team in the second-half than we were in the first,” he said.

“As disappointed as I was with the first-half performance, I was really pleased with the reaction from the players and we could have nicked the game.”

Hearts boss Jim Jefferies added: “We could have beaten them if it hadn’t been for a couple of great saves McGregor has made.

“What was pleasing was the way that we were playing. Our shape was good and we passed the ball well.”

Hearts made a flying start when debutant Danny Grainger sent in an excellent delivery from a corner and Obua rose unchallenged to bullet a header past McGregor from 10 yards out.

Some of the Rangers players looked to still be in holiday mode as they struggled to cope with the pace of the match in what is the earliest ever SPL start date.

Templeton took advantage of some slackness to slip between two Rangers defenders but the outrushing McGregor blocked his shot with his legs.

Obua could then have doubled his tally after Templeton slipped him in but the Ugandan lacked composure as he slammed his first-time effort into the side netting.

Naismith twice missed chances for an equaliser in the second half as he smashed Ortiz’s cross-field pass over the bar before flicking the Spaniard’s cross wide minutes later.

However it was third time lucky for Scotland striker Naismith when he headed Rangers level in the 57th minute.

Sasa Papac got his cross over at the second time of asking and Naismith appeared at the near post to nod it past Kello from six yards.

Jelavic rolled the ball into the net minutes later after collecting an Ortiz pass but the Croatian had strayed offside in the build up and his effort was disallowed.

Rangers brought on Gregg Wylde for Ortiz as they searched for the winner but it was Hearts who were next to threaten, with McGregor showing why McCoist handed him a six-year contract in the summer when he produced a superb save to tip over Obua’s fierce strike from the edge of the box.

Elsewhere on Saturday, Motherwell set the early pace with a 3-0 win over Inverness Caledonian Thistle at Fir Park.

Steve Hammell’s deflected shot gave Motherwell a 25th minute lead before Jamie Murphy added a second three minutes later.

Northern Ireland international Keith Lasley completed the scoring with a ferocious shot late in the second half.

At Pittodrie, 10-man Aberdeen held on for a 0-0 draw against St Johnstone despite the 65th minute dismissal of Ryan Jack for a lunge on Murray Davidson.