A double from Cyriel Dessers either side of a first goal of the campaign for captain James Tavernier from the penalty spot sent the Gers on their way to the last four as they took another step towards defending the trophy they won last season.
The Light Blues were back on home soil for the first time in 2024/25. Manager Philippe Clement brought Dujon Sterling, the returning Vaclav Cerny and Nedim Bajrami into the team, with the latter making his first start for the club having joined on deadline day.
The Gers had the first opening inside three minutes as two of their summer arrivals combined. On their first experience of Ibrox, Vaclav Cerny picked the ball up on the right flank, he spotted Nedim Bajrami on the opposite flank on his first start for the club, but his effort after cutting inside on his right flew over the top of the crossbar.
The home side continued to probe in the opening exchanges without testing Trevor Carson between the Dundee posts in the opening 10 minutes. Jefte, another sampling the Ibrox atmosphere for the first time, was looking lively down the left flank and got in behind on several occasions, but his deliveries came to no avail.
After dominating the early stages of the game, the Gers found the breakthrough courtesy of frontman Cyriel Dessers. A clever ball down the outside from Jefte combined with Bajrami, his wicked delivery across the box was turned goalwards by the striker on his left side which was brilliantly kept out by Carson. On the rebound, captain James Tavernier fired the ball back in low which allowed the number nine to turn it into the back of the net to give the hosts the lead.
They looked to build on that advantage quickly afterwards. Again working the ball down the left a cross was half cleared as it fell to the skipper on the edge of the box, he arrived onto it but cut his effort as it flew wide of the mark.
Dundee came into the game for the first time and had an opportunity on two occasions as they looked to get on level terms. Scott Tiffoney spun away from Tavernier well before his deflected shot fell into the path of Simon Murray, but the striker’s effort was superbly denied by Jack Butland before the assistant referee flagged for offside.
After a period of few chances for either side it was goalscorer Dessers who went close to doubling the advantage. The Gers profited from a collision inside their own half before Bajrami picked it up on the counter attack. He was able to square up Portales before working the ball onto his left foot inside the area, but the goalkeeper denied the striker a second with his legs.
It was again Cyriel Dessers at the heart of things as his acrobatic effort almost doubled the lead in first half stoppage time. John Souttar stepped forward from the back and picked out the striker unmarked inside the area; he met it on the volley but was again denied by Carson who tipped it over the crossbar to keep his side in it heading into the break.
The Gers had a golden opportunity right at the start of the second half to double their lead. A corner kick delivery was sent into the area before Mohamed Sylla hauled down Cyriel Dessers inside the area as the referee pointed to the penalty spot. Captain James Tavernier stepped from 12 yards and dispatched the ball beyond Trevor Carson to give Rangers breathing space in the contest.
The Light Blues seemed to take renewed confidence from going two in front as they threatened to stretch their lead further. Substitute Mohammed Diomande made an instant impact on the game after coming on at the break as he found Cerny on the flank. The Czech Republic international skipped past his marker and cut the ball across the box, the initial ball was cleared before the arriving Tom Lawrence stepped onto it, but his shot flew over the top.
Dundee somehow never halved the deficit after a clear-cut opening following a corner. The delivery was met by the head of Billy Koumetio before Murray arrived at the back post, his downwards header was brilliantly kept out by Butland before the hosts managed to scramble it away and clear the danger to keep their two-goal lead intact.
Nedim Bajrami thought he had a first goal in his colours but was denied by a terrific Carson save. The Light Blues worked the ball down the right through Cerny and Tavernier before it made its way across the box. The Albanian international caught the ball superbly on his right side but his powerful effort was turned over the crossbar.
Cerny looked to get in on the scoring and almost did after creating an opening for himself off the right flank. Cutting inside onto his favored left foot he looked to curl one into the far corner before it was blocked by Carson and kept out before the arriving Dessers on the rebound was stopped in his tracks by the assistant who flagged for offside.
The away side again had another golden chance to get on the scoresheet. Tiffoney acknowledged the run of substitute Sebastian Palmer-Houlden as his cross picked him out unmarked in the area, but his glancing header flashed wide of the target.
Striker Dessers then put the game beyond any doubt as he tapped in his seventh of the season to make it 3-0 on the night. A ball down the outside set Bajrami on his way before his fired ball across was met by the number nine, on the half volley he dispatched it well as the power and placement beat Carson to wrap up the contest.
At one end, Dundee should have found themselves on the scoresheet after a mistake from Tavernier. His back pass was intercepted by Tiffoney who found himself in on goal, but his effort was well kept out by Butland to keep his clean sheet intact. The Gers broke at the other end through substitute Hamza Igamane, he drove in on goal before the ball eventually broke for Diomande, but his right footed shot was fired over the bar.
Igamane had efforts on two occasions go close to his first Rangers goal and fourth of the evening. The hosts saw the closing stages of the match out with comfort as they booked their place in the hat as they now await their opponents in the last four at Hampden.
RANGERS: Butland, Tavernier (Kasanwirjo 81), Propper, Souttar, Barron, Dessers (Igamane 68), Lawrence, Bajrami (Cortes 74), Cerny (McCausland 68), Sterling (Diomande 45), Jefte
SUBS: Kelly, Dowell, Balogun, Raskin
DUNDEE: Carson, McGhee (Ingram 77), Tiffoney (Vetro 77), Cameron, Adewumi (Palmer-Houlden 45), Murray (Main 77), Koumetio, Larkeche, Braybrooke (Mulligan 68), Sylla, Portales
SUBS: McCraken, Astley, Reilly, Robertson
REFEREE: Chris Graham