RANGERS have won the Scottish Cup for the 34th time in the club’s 150-year history after beating Hearts 2-0 in extra time at Hampden.
Goals from substitutes Ryan Jack and Scott Wright in the 94th and 97th minutes respectively gave the Light Blues a hugely memorable victory in this afternoon’s final and provided ecstatic captain James Tavernier with the chance to walk up the steps at the national stadium and lift the famous old trophy in front of thousands of jubilant Gers fans.
The result against Robbie Neilson’s side will not erase the pain that every bluenose felt after Wednesday night’s penalty shootout defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa League final, but what it highlighted is the immense character and spirit in Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s squad as the players gave everything to end the rollercoaster 2021/22 season on a majestic high.
Despite the likes of Tavernier and Connor Goldson playing 120 minutes in Seville’s draining heat just three days earlier, they somehow managed to go again and produce a hugely impressive display, with the Scottish Cup now returning to Ibrox after a 13-year wait.
Van Bronckhorst made five changes to his starting eleven head of kick-off today, with Jon McLaughlin, Leon Balogun, Steven Davis, Scott Arfield and Amad Diallo back in. From the team that started in Seville, Allan McGregor, Ryan Jack, Glen Kamara and Scott Wright were on the bench while Borna Barisic was out altogether as he recovers from injury.
As the teams walked out on to the pitch the atmosphere was electric with both sets of fans cranking up the volume, but with just three minutes played Hearts midfielder Peter Haring showed too much enthusiasm as he put in a crunching, late tackle on Calvin Bassey and referee William Collum rightly produced the first yellow card of the contest.
On 10 minutes the Rangers fans were breathing a huge sigh of relief when the Jambos created the first chance of the match. Leon Balogun’s header fell to Nathaniel Atkinson who played in Liam Boyce in the right channel of Jon McLaughlin’s 18-yard box. His cut-back cross looked to be perfect for striker Ellis Simms but at full stretch his toe poke clipped the outside of the post and the ball went out for a goal kick.
It was a lively, entertaining start to the match with the Light Blues also having a bit of joy in the final third without testing the Jambos’ number one Craig Gordon at the 20-minute mark.
Rangers, however, started to shift through the gears, with a snap shot from Scott Arfield from a Diallo cross going straight at Gordon before a low, curling left-foot effort from Ryan Kent from 20 yards out was a couple of metres wide of the goal.
Former Ibrox winger Barrie McKay then tried his luck from a similar distance but the ball flew over the crossbar and into the Rangers end of the stadium.
Chances were coming and with nine minutes of the first half remaining Bassey was given acres of space on the left wing to put in a teasing cross and Aribo could, and should, have done better with his glancing header which went well wide of the target.
Bassey was getting into dangerous areas on the left flank and again he was given the opportunity to deliver a terrific cross, this time to the back post, and Diallo was guilty of heading wide when, like Aribo before him, he should have at least asked a question of Gordon between the posts.
The second half started in a similar way to the first, with both teams probing but the defences working tirelessly. It was not until the 58th minute that a long ball from Diallo over the Hearts backline found Kent but Gordon was quick off his line to make a good save at the Rangers star’s feet.
With experience and quality on his 11-man bench, van Bronckhorst made his first change to his team in the second half with Scott Wright replacing Diallo on 63 minutes.
At this point of the second period there hadn’t been much to write about, with both teams pushing forward – particularly Rangers - but struggling to produce the quality required to break the deadlock.
On 74 minutes, however, the impressive and in-form Bassey tried to inspire his side when he powered forward, jinked inside and curled a low right-foot shot towards the opposite bottom corner but Gordon was there to make a fine stop.
Rangers were now the more likely team to get their noses in front and with seven minutes remaining a terrific corner kick from Tavernier was met by Balogun but his header went inches over the bar, agonisingly skimming the roof of the net.
Hearts were struggling to cope with wave after wave of attack and again they had Gordon to thank when he stuck out a leg to deny Aribo after he squirmed a shot towards goal with only a couple of minutes on the clock remaining.
Rangers kept at it though and after three minutes of injury time had been announced an excellent header from Wright, from a Tavernier free-kick, hit the crossbar.
Van Bronckhorst’s men started extra time the way they finished the ninety, on top, and after Aribo had headed over another superb cross from Bassey they finally got the goal their pressure deserved.
A corner from Tavernier was headed clear but only to Ryan Jack who blasted a thunderbolt high into the roof of the net from 20 yards to send the blue end of Hampden wild.
Hearts here now on the ropes and in almost the very next attack the rampant Gers doubled their advantage with a terrific breakaway goal.
Ryan Kent sprinted forward over the halfway line and he delayed and delayed before playing a perfect pass to Wright who did the rest, smashing home a brilliant low shot across Gordon and into the back of the net to bring the Scottish Cup back to Ibrox.
With two minutes left a great day was made even more memorable when Allan McGregor was sent on for Jon McLaughlin, the 40-year-old Rangers legend receiving a standing ovation as he jogged onto the pitch before the final whistle started the celebrations. What a way to end a remarkable season!
RANGERS: McLaughlin (McGregor 118), Tavernier, Bassey, Lundstram, Goldson, Diallo (Wright 63), Davis (Jack 79), Kent, Aribo (Sakala 105), Balogun, Arfield (Kamara 79)
SUBS NOT USED: Itten, Ramsey, Sands, Roofe, King, Lowry
GOALS: Jack 94, Wright 97
BOOKINGS: Diallo
HEARTS: Gordon, Kingsley, Souttar, Haring, Boyce (Halliday 75), Atkinson, Devlin (McEneff 105), Cochrane, McKay (Ginnelly 81), Halkett, Simms
SUBS NOT USED: Stewart, Smith, Woodburn, Mackay-Steven, Moore, Sibbick
BOOKINGS: Haring
REFEREE: William Collum
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