Blog

Rangers booked their place in the Scottish Cup semi-finals with a 2-0 win over nine-player Hibernian at Easter Road.

Midfielder John Lundstram bundled in the opener in the 23rd minute after Hibs goalkeeper David Marshall had saved a penalty from captain James Tavernier.

Hibs attacker Martin Boyle was taken to hospital with an injury following a duel with defender John Souttar and Philippe Clement’s side wobbled at the start of the second half, looking weary after their battling 2-2 draw with Benfica in the Europa League in Lisbon on Thursday night.

However, Hibernian defender Jordan Obita was sent off in the 68th minute for picking up the second of two yellow cards for a foul on Rabbi Matondo before Nathan Moriah-Welsh was shown a straight red by referee Steven McLean three minutes later for a foul on Lundstram.

Portuguese striker Fabio Silva added a second in the 83rd minute to take Rangers into the last-four draw along with Aberdeen and Celtic, with Championship side Morton hosting Hearts on Monday night.

However, there were more injuries for Clement to deal with Dujon Sterling and his replacement Ross McCausland going off during a pulsating game.

Hibs defender Chris Cadden made his first start of the season after his long-term injury absence with midfielder Nectar Triantis also coming in, as injured Lewis Miller and Dylan Vente dropped out.

Despite their European exertions, the visitors were unchanged with Cyriel Dessers and Silva in attack with the former knocking a cross from left-back Ridvan Yilmaz past the near post after 13 minutes of a frenetic beginning.

Moments later, Jack Butland almost got caught dribbling along his six-yard box by attacker Myziane Maolida, the ball coming off the post after a tackle and ricocheting off the keeper for a corner which came to nothing.

Then Dessers robbed hesitant Obita down the left flank and drove into the box but his angled-drive was blocked by Marshall for a corner which was defended.

Obita compounded his error in the 21st minute when he tripped Sterling inside the penalty area leaving referee McLean with little option but to point to the spot.

Tavernier’s driven penalty was parried out by Marshall but Lundstram was quicker than the Hibs defenders to react and forced the ball over the line from a few yards out.

Marshall then saved a powerful drive from Sterling minutes later before the Light Blues utility player pulled up with what looked like a hamstring problem and had to be replaced by McCausland.

Hibs had their own injury concerns soon afterwards when Boyle and Souttar collided in an aerial duel just outside the Rangers penalty area and the winger, after a lengthy stoppage, was taken from the field on a stretcher, his place taken by Elie Youan.

The visitors had to withstand sustained pressure when the game resumed and after Rangers defender Connor Goldson fouled Emiliano Marcondes 30 yards out, the Hibs forward forced a fine diving save from Butland with his curling free-kick.

Then substitute McCausland limped off to be replaced by Matondo, with Kemar Roofe on for Dessers, before the hosts were reduced to 10 men when Obita, already booked for a foul on Tom Lawrence, saw a second yellow for a tackle on Matondo with Moriah-Welsh following him minutes later after scything down Lundstram.

And it was the former Sheffield United midfielder who set up Silva to rifle in Rangers’ second from 14 yards to settle an eventful cup tie and secure a last-four place at Hampden Park.

It could have been more, substitute Cole McKinnon having the ball in the net in added time only to see the offside flag up.

What the managers said…

Hibernian head coach Nick Montgomery: “I haven’t seen Jordan’s incident to be honest. I know he was on a yellow. He tried to hold Matondo off but apparently he’s caught him on the back of the head with his arm.

“Jordan is an experienced player so, if he has done something that is deemed a yellow card, you don’t want that.

“Nathan is just 21 years old, he’s new to first-team football. And, to be honest, it was right in front of me.

“I’ve got a lot of respect for John Lundstram. He’s a top, top player. But I thought the way he went down, Nathan didn’t catch him.

“I’ve seen that one back and he’s gone across him to try to block him playing a ball down the line, probably knock it out for a throw-in. But John has gone down.

“And the referee was very quick to give the card. To be honest, I was really surprised he didn’t go to the VAR monitor to have a look, considering it was three metres from where the incident happened.”

Rangers boss Philippe Clement called for “reckless” tackles to be taken out of the game as he discussed Moriah-Welsh’s red card.

He said: “If you put a hand or an arm in the face you can get a yellow, that everybody knows.

“The (Moriah-Welsh) tackle was a few yards away from me. It is a reckless tackle with the studs in front and it doesn’t matter then if you break a leg or not.

“It is just reckless. I think it is important to get that kind of tackle out of the game.

“In the last couple of weeks sometimes when we didn’t get the red card and I was not happy about that.

“I think tackles like that are not good for Scottish football, English football, Belgian football, German football. Players need to know if you tackle like that you get a red card.

“It is for nobody good because it is a danger to injure someone if you go in like that.”

What’s next?

Sunday 17th March 11:00am


Kick off 12:00pm

Hibs return to Scottish Premiership action on March 16 at home to Livingston, kick-off 3pm.

Rangers face Benfica in the second leg of their Europa League last-16 tie on Thursday night before a Premiership match at Dundee on March 17, live ok Sky Sports.