Sports

Rangers sweep Celtic aside to reach cup semi-final

Errol MayfieldPublished 6d ago2 min readBased on 13 sources
Rangers sweep Celtic aside to reach cup semi-final
source:rangers.co.uk

Rangers beat Celtic 3-0 at Ibrox on 13 September to reach the Premier Sports Cup semi-finals.

The Premier Sports Cup is Scotland's League Cup, a knockout competition that runs alongside the league season. This was the quarter-final, and it was also the first Old Firm game of the season, the name given to any Rangers against Celtic meeting. BBC

Dan Neil was the headline act. The midfielder scored twice in the win, and told the club website it was the first brace of his career. A brace simply means two goals in one game. Rangers

Rangers had control early. They led 1-0 at the start of the second half, and were still 1-0 ahead after 55 minutes before they pulled clear. The SPFL, which runs the competition, recorded the final result as Rangers 3-0 Celtic.

It was a big afternoon for Derek McInnes. The Rangers manager named his side for the 12pm kick-off at Ibrox and then watched them deliver his first Old Firm win in charge. Sky Sports

He trusted new faces. Rangers started six players making their Old Firm debuts, a tough introduction to Scottish football's loudest fixture. They handled it well.

Celtic had Martin O'Neill and Shaun Maloney in the technical area at Ibrox. The SPFL lists O'Neill as Celtic manager. Captain Callum McGregor led the team, with Sam Johnstone in goal.

There were no away fans inside the ground. Celtic and Rangers away supporters are barred from all Old Firm Premiership and League Cup games this season. Sky Sports

Ibrox is Rangers' home, a stadium listed at a capacity of 50,817. Even without an away end, this tie carried noise and edge. Before the game, O'Neill had revealed a general behaviour message from police to both clubs.

What makes this stand out is the manner of it. A 3-0 Old Firm win is rare for either side. For Rangers fans, this means a semi-final against Aberdeen and a day to remember together.

McInnes gave his post-match reaction after what the club described as a dominant victory. Rangers will now prepare for Aberdeen with belief growing.

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