Rangers secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Aberdeen at Pittodrie on Sunday, marking their first Scottish Premiership win of the season and providing relief to manager Derek McInnes amid increasing pressure. McInnes, who took charge of Rangers this summer after leaving Hearts, had faced scrutiny following two wins in seven matches, compounded by early exits from both the Europa League and Conference League.

The decisive moment came in the 69th minute when Rangers captain Lawrence Shankland converted a penalty awarded after Aberdeen’s Djeidi Gassama was fouled. The result ended a challenging start to the campaign for McInnes, who expressed satisfaction with his team’s performance. “Probably for the first time this season, I’ve really enjoyed watching the team,” McInnes said. “We looked like a team, a sense of the team that I would like us to be.”

The match also featured the debut of 20-year-old South Korean winger Kim Min-su, signed from Girona for approximately £8.5 million. McInnes highlighted Kim’s contribution as an important addition, noting that the extra quality at the top of the pitch was necessary. “The added bit of quality from Min-su was much needed. We’ve been looking for that for a while now, so it’s great that we managed to get him in,” McInnes commented.

Rangers are reportedly pursuing further reinforcement, with striker Kevin Kelsy from Portland Timbers linked with a move. Meanwhile, Belgian midfielder Nicolas Raskin was absent from the squad amid speculation regarding his future. McInnes denied any formal offers for Raskin and reiterated the club’s intent to sign a striker to bolster the squad.

Aberdeen manager Stephen Robinson expressed frustration over a key refereeing decision during the match. Late in the game, Aberdeen captain Kevin Nisbet had a goal disallowed for what the referee, Matthew MacDermid, ruled as a push on Rangers defender Dujon Sterling inside the penalty area. This came shortly after an earlier penalty appeal by Aberdeen had been dismissed. Robinson refrained from detailed criticism, stating, “If I could give my thoughts [I would], but the authorities make sure we don’t,” and questioned how the force of the challenge was assessed.

The result was seen as a vital boost for Rangers, who have been under pressure to improve their form early in the season. Aberdeen, meanwhile, will be seeking to bounce back after a match marked by controversy and a late setback.