Spurs barely deserved their point but they are now well-placed in competition
Rangers were the better side and took the lead through Hamza Igamane
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This was the sort of Glasgow kiss Ange Postecoglou might have hoped for. Back in the Scottish city where he enjoyed such success, a kiss of life to salvage a point for his ailing Tottenham team in a game they deserved to lose.
Dejan Kulusevski was the man who delivered it. Off the bench to apply a fine finish to a pass from Dominic Solanke who also came on and made a huge difference as Spurs somehow escaped a third-successive defeat.
Rangers were by some distance the better team for much of what was a raucous night inside Ibrox Stadium and left to a standing ovation but for a while they could detect one of the great European victories of recent years.
With it the chance to humble English visitors representing the self-acclaimed 'best league in the world' and inflict more damage on former Celtic hero Postecoglou.
Having controlled the first half, Hamza Igamane fired the Scots ahead at the start of the second half and they had Tottenham rattled at this point, pushing on with such intensity they seemed sure to extend the lead.
Postecoglou deserves some credit for making three changes which changed the course of the game with Solanke, Pape Matar Sarr and Lucas Bergvall on to join Kulusevksi, who replaced Timo Werner at half-time.
Rangers faded and almost conceded a second - Solanke was denied from close range - before Phillippe Clemente's side produced a thrilling flurry in the closing stages.
Fraser Forster was required to make a brilliant late save from Cyriel Dessers, who also had the ball in the net only to see it ruled out by a flag for offside.
The point they barely deserved steadies Tottenham in this competition. Eleven points keep them in touch with the top eight with Hoffenheim and Elfsborg to play in the New Year, and the chance to avoid a knock-out round.
It extends a sequence of poor results to one win in eight. They have not won since the 4-0 romp at Manchester City and an awkward trip to Southampton in the Premier League comes next, on Sunday. And yet will feel like a small triumph after some of the pressure their patched-up back four were able to sustain in a hostile atmosphere.
There were jeers for those with Celtic affiliations such as Fraser Forster and Archie Gray but Spurs held firm at the back. Gray, still only 18, made a composed start. There are many things impressive about the teen but chief among them must be his temperament.
He seemed unruffled by the occasion. Or the fact he had been throw in to play in an unfamiliar role in the heart of a patched-up defensive unit and Rangers were determined to test him in the air. He won a couple of early headers to settle any nerves.
Radu Dragusin was a strong physical presence alongside. Postecoglou will have to rely heavily on this pair for the next few weeks, with Micky an de Ven, Cristian Romero and Ben Davies all out injured.
Gray sought opportunities to stride out in possession. One stylish run out of defensive quarters ended with him losing lost the ball, yards out of position on the left wing. He gave a little shake of his head and sprinted back.
MATCH FACTS AND PLAYER RATINGS
Rangers (4-2-3-1): Butland 6.5; Tavernier 7, Souttar 6 (Balogun 35, 7), Propper 7, Jefte 7; Diomande 7, Raskin 7; Cerny 8 (Sterling 69), Bajrami 7 (Barron 69), Yilmaz 7 (Fraser 80); Igamane 7.5 (Dessers 80)
Subs not used: Kelly, Cortes, Dowell, King, McCausland, Rice, Curtis
Goal: Igamane 47
Booked: Diomande
Manager: Phillippe Clement 7
Tottenham (4-3-3): Forster 7.5; Porro 5, Dragusin 7, Gray 6.5, Udogie 5; Bentancur 6 (Bergvall 60, 6.5), Bissouma 6 (Sarr 60, 6.5), Maddison 6.5; Johnson 5 (Solanke 60, 7), Son 6, Werner 5 (Kulusevski 46, 7)
Subs not used: Austin, Whiteman, Lankshear, Dorrington, Olusesi, Williams-Barnett, Hardy
Goal: Kulusevski 75
Booked: Dragusin, Bergvall
Manager: Ange Postecoglou 6
Referee: Sandro Scharer (Sui) 6.5
Attendance: 48,064
He tried the same move again 10 minutes later with the same outcome, and yet Postecoglou's team did not throw players forward with their usual abandon. Partly due to Rangers being in command, squeezing them back but perhaps also a subliminal need to protect the back four.
Their first-half chances came on the break. Timo Werner flashed Tottenham's first effort over from an angle on the left and Heung-min Son was unable to beat goalkeeper Jack Butland with a better chance created by James Maddison.
Forster made two splendid saves from Vaclav Cerny, who then swerved another over from just outside the penalty box and Jefte charged forward and delivered a low cross which fizzed across goal from the Rangers left.
The hosts did not allow the blow of losing centre-half John Souttar before half time to knock them out of their stride.
Postecoglou sent on Kulusevski for Werner, whose performance was savaged by Postecoglou, but they were behind just 81 seconds after the restart. James Tavernier produced an excellent cross on the run from the right, and Pedro Porro failed to engage the run by Igamane who coverted at the back post.
The Moroccan forward has five in his last five games and this goal inspired his team.
Rangers were even more impressive once ahead. Spurs were creaking and hesitant, pinned back in their defensive third and Postecoglou had to try something. On came Solanke, Sarr and Bergvall, whose first touch was a volley narrowly wide.
As ever, they improved with Solanke leading the line. Maddison curled free-kick over and Butland denied Porro but Rangers rose again.
Forster made a fabulous save from substitute Dessers, screaming at his defenders as he climbed to his feet. Then Dessers found the net only for the Swiss officials to rule it out for offside. Rangers celebrated.
They must have been disappointed but go into the League Cup final against Celtic on Sunday with a spring in their step. Tottenham stagger onto Southampton on Sunday, relieved to have a point and no further injuries.