Rangers host Hibernian at Ibrox in Derek McInnes's reported first home game in charge

Rangers hosted Hibernian at Ibrox in what was reported as Derek McInnes's first competitive home game in charge, though the result and date remain unconfirmed.

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1884–85 Scottish Cup quarter-final, Hibernian 5–0 Annbank, Irvine Express, 2 January 1885
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (Public Domain) · source

Rangers hosted Hibernian at Ibrox in what the Daily Record reported as Derek McInnes's first competitive home game in charge. The final score, date and competition remain unconfirmed. Hibernian entered the match still seeking their first league points of the 2025-26 season.

Rangers hosted Hibernian at Ibrox in a match covered live by the Daily Record, reportedly Derek McInnes's first competitive home game in charge of the Glasgow club. The fixture was also said to mark the first Ibrox appearances for Makhanya, Dragojevic and Yokota. The final score and the competition involved have not yet been confirmed. Both sides arrived with uneven starts to the season. According to reports, Rangers opened their league campaign with a 1-1 draw away at Dundee United and lost 2-1 away to Jagiellonia in Europe. Hibernian, the Edinburgh club founded in 1875 by members of the city's Irish community, entered the match still seeking their first league points, despite home European wins over Malisheva and Shkëndija at Easter Road. Thelo Aasgaard and Martin Boyle were each reported to have scored one league goal. The match matters because it offers an early test of McInnes's tenure in front of the Ibrox support, and a chance for Hibs to turn European momentum into domestic points. Much about the fixture remains unverified.

McInnes's reported first home game in charge at Ibrox

Rangers hosted Hibernian at Ibrox in a match covered live by the Daily Record, according to the publisher's reporting. The fixture was described as Derek McInnes's first competitive game in charge of Rangers at Ibrox, though this has not been independently confirmed.

Three players — Makhanya, Dragojevic and Yokota — were reported to be making their first appearances at Ibrox in the match, adding a further layer of interest to the occasion for the home support. How each of them performed, however, is not yet known.

Several key details about the fixture remain unconfirmed. The final score has not been established, and nor has the exact date on which the match was played. It is also unclear which competition the game belonged to, whether the Scottish Premiership or another tournament. Until further reporting emerges, the result of what was described as McInnes's first home match in charge, and whether Hibernian left Glasgow with anything to show for their efforts, cannot be stated with certainty.

Rangers' stuttering start to the season

Rangers came into the Hibernian fixture on the back of an uneven opening to the 2025-26 campaign, according to reports. The club's league season reportedly began with a 1-1 draw away at Dundee United, a result that left Derek McInnes's side without a win from their first Premiership outing. Reports also indicate that Rangers then travelled to face Jagiellonia in a European fixture and returned on the wrong end of a 2-1 scoreline.

Neither result has been independently corroborated, and details of the performances remain thin. What is clear from the reporting is that McInnes had yet to oversee a victory in the early weeks of his tenure, adding weight to the Ibrox meeting with Hibernian as an early test of his start in charge.

1875
Hibernian founding year
2025-26
Scottish League Cup season
80th
Scottish League Cup edition
3-1
St Mirren vs Celtic League Cup final score
1-1
Rangers vs Dundee United league opener score
2-1
Jagiellonia vs Rangers European fixture score

Hibs arrive winless in the league but buoyed in Europe

Hibernian travelled to Ibrox still searching for their first league points of the season, according to reports, a position that left the Edinburgh club under early pressure despite their pedigree as a Premiership side.

Yet their form told two different stories. Reports suggest Hibs had recorded home European victories over Malisheva and Shkëndija at Easter Road, results that offered some encouragement ahead of the trip to Glasgow. In domestic competition, the goals had been scarce: according to reports, Thelo Aasgaard and Martin Boyle had each scored one league goal in the opening weeks of the campaign, accounting for the club's entire early-season league tally between them.

Whether that European momentum could be carried into one of Scottish football's most demanding away fixtures remained an open question. Hibernian, founded in 1875 by members of Edinburgh's Irish community, arrived at Ibrox needing a result to get their league season moving.

Hibernian: 150 years of history behind the visitors

Hibernian, commonly known as Hibs, are one of Scotland's oldest and most storied clubs. Based in Edinburgh, they were founded in 1875 by members of the city's Irish community, and their name derives from the Latin word for Ireland. That heritage remains central to the club's identity a century and a half on.

Hibs compete in the Scottish Premiership, the top tier of Scottish football, and play their home matches at Easter Road. Their visit to Ibrox pits two of the country's most historic institutions against each other, a fixture with deep roots in the Scottish game.

What remains unconfirmed about the Ibrox fixture

Elsewhere in Scotland, the season has already produced a notable result: St Mirren defeated defending champions Celtic 3-1 to win the 2025-26 Scottish League Cup, the 80th edition of the competition, sponsored as the Premier Sports Cup.

Against that backdrop, much about the Rangers-Hibernian fixture remains unconfirmed. According to the Daily Record, which covered the match live, the game took place at Ibrox, but the final score has not been established. The exact date is unknown, and it is not yet clear which competition the fixture belonged to. Whether Hibernian left Glasgow with their first league points of the season is also unconfirmed. Reports so far rest on limited sourcing, and corroboration from further outlets is awaited before firmer conclusions can be drawn.

Frequently asked questions

What was the score in Rangers vs Hibernian?

No. The final score of the Rangers vs Hibernian match at Ibrox has not been confirmed. The Daily Record covered the game live, but the result is not yet known from the available reporting. Hibernian went into the fixture still seeking their first league points of the season, but whether they earned any at Ibrox remains unconfirmed.

Was Rangers vs Hibernian Derek McInnes's first home game as Rangers manager?

According to reports, yes. The match against Hibernian was Derek McInnes's first competitive game in charge of Rangers at Ibrox, according to the Daily Record's live coverage. His side had opened the league campaign with a 1-1 draw away at Dundee United and lost 2-1 away to Jagiellonia in Europe. The result of his Ibrox debut is not yet confirmed.

Which Rangers players made their Ibrox debuts against Hibernian?

According to reports, Makhanya, Dragojevic and Yokota all made their first appearances at Ibrox in the match against Hibernian. How each of the three performed in their debuts has not been detailed in the available coverage, and the result of the match itself is not yet confirmed.

How had Hibernian started the 2025-26 season before facing Rangers?

Hibernian entered the Rangers match still seeking their first league points of the season, according to reports. The Edinburgh club had recorded home European wins over Malisheva and Shkëndija at Easter Road, and Thelo Aasgaard and Martin Boyle had each scored one league goal early in the campaign. Whether Hibs took points at Ibrox is not yet known.

Who are Hibernian F.C.?

Hibernian Football Club, commonly known as Hibs, is a professional football club based in Edinburgh, Scotland. It competes in the Scottish Premiership, the top tier of Scottish football. The club was founded in 1875 by members of Edinburgh's Irish community, and its name comes from the Latin word for Ireland. Its home ground is Easter Road.

Compiled from reporting by 3 independent outlets. How we source our reporting.

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