Frank de Boer chose the perfect moment to net his first goal for Rangers as it saved his side from an embarrassing defeat at Aberdeen.

The home side had led for almost the whole game following Alexander Diamond's second-minute opener and had forced Stefan Klos in the Rangers goal to make save after save.

But no second goal followed and the younger de Boer twin made the Dons pay when he headed home in the 87th minute to save his team-mates' blushes.

The game had kicked off as the Bank of Scotland Premier League's second worst side at home to the second best - but nothing in the first half even came close to justifying those standings.

Aberdeen dominated from the off, took the lead within 70 seconds and must have gone in at the break wondering how the game had not already been wrapped up.

The answer to that question was Klos and it was not the first time this season that he had been outstanding on a day when his colleagues were awful.

Diamond's goal was as surprising as it was sloppy from Rangers' point if view as the ball had bounced off the youngster from close range after Scott Morrison had fired in a free-kick to the near post area.

There were still 88 minutes left for Rangers to take a grip on the situation, but the Dons continued to put them under pressure and Klos was required to make a smart parry from a Paul Sheerin drive.

Klos' next contribution had to be a wonder save, however, after Leigh Hinds had picked out the head of unmarked skipper Russell Anderson in the box.

The German just managed to tip the ball over the bar, leaving the Scotland defender holding his head in disbelief.

At the other end, David Preece had not a single save to make before the break, although Emerson did flash an effort across goal and wide early on.

The one time Klos was beaten saw the woodwork come to his aid, with Hinds having belted the ball past him from almost 30 yards.

The whole scenario must have been an embarrassment for Rangers manager Alex McLeish, who was such a Pittodrie favourite during his playing days.

Something had to be done and in the 27th minute a change was made, with Christian Nerlinger the man chosen to come off, although any number of his outfield colleagues might have got the hook instead.

The German looked neither injured nor happy as he trudged to the dugout to be replaced on the left of midfield by the rookie Hamed Namouchi.

The change had little immediate effect as Aberdeen continued to get the better of the fallen champions, both in physical challenges and creative play.

Markus Heikkinen then beat two men with a combination of each of those qualities to force Klos into a near-post parry and Hinds saw a header land on the top of the net.

McLeish's half-time team talk was sure to have been animated and there was another change at the break when Paolo Vanoli came on for Michael Ball.

Rangers' first corner arrived in the 53rd minute and their first real chance four minutes later when Diamond failed to clear a long throw from Fernando Ricksen.

That allowed Shota Arveladze, who had replaced Michael Mols in the starting line-up, to fire in a shot after getting the ball under control, but his effort went wide.

Nuno Capucho was on the end of a cross from the right from Maurice Ross as Rangers at last began to look interested, but he could only poke the ball wide of the near post from close range.

Capucho tried again and forced the first save out of Preece in the 65th minute with an on-target, if a little tame, header from a Vanoli free-kick into a crowded box.

Vanoli fired in a long-ranger which Preece could only parry, but the danger was soon cleared.

Aberdeen brought Bryan Prunty on for Booth in the 72nd minute and within a few seconds Chris Clark had sent him into a shooting position in the box, only for the ex-Celtic man to waste the chance with a shot across goal and wide.

Emerson was booked for one foul too many before Rangers sent on Mols for Ronald de Boer in the 76th minute.

Klos was required to keep his side in the game once more when a corner was cleared only as far as Hinds, who forced a low save from the German.

Prunty, having swept past Vanoli, lofted the ball over Klos from the edge of the box, but also cleared the crossbar.

Another chance came the substitute's way, after David Zdrilic's low cross had been missed in front of goal by Sheerin, but Fernando Ricksen was in the way to make a telling interception.

The block proved vital as Frank de Boer rose to head in a Vanoli free-kick to give his side an undeserved equaliser with just two minutes remaining.

Teams

Aberdeen Preece, McNaughton, Anderson, Diamond, Morrison, Clark (Muirhead 79), Heikkinen, Sheerin, Hinds, Zdrilic, Booth (Prunty 72).

Subs Not Used: Esson, McGuire, Foster.

Goals: Diamond 2.

Rangers Klos, Ross, Moore, Frank de Boer, Ball (Vanoli 45), Ricksen, Emerson, Ronald de Boer (Mols 75), Nerlinger (Namouchi 26), Capucho, Arveladze.

Subs Not Used: McGregor, Hutton.

Booked: Emerson.

Goals: Frank de Boer 87.

Att: 15,815

Ref: W Young (Scotland).