NafisaRangers have sent out a huge statement of intent under Derek McInnes after dismantling Celtic 3-0 at Ibrox to book their place in the Premier Sports Cup semi-finals.
The first Old Firm meeting of the season had been billed as a major test for McInnes, but Rangers produced a performance that was far more convincing than many expected. In front of a partisan Ibrox crowd, the Light Blues controlled the contest, repeatedly exposed weaknesses in the Celtic defence and never allowed their rivals to build any sustained momentum.
Dan Neil opened the scoring in the first half with his first Rangers goal, before Kevin Kelsy doubled the advantage after the interval. Neil then completed a superb individual afternoon with a stunning second goal to put the result beyond any doubt.
It was a particularly impressive showing from Rangers given that Celtic had entered the game with a perfect domestic record, while McInnes was experiencing his first Old Firm derby as Rangers manager. Instead of allowing the occasion to overwhelm his players, Rangers imposed themselves physically and tactically and ultimately ran out comfortable winners.
And while the result itself was emphatic, the aftermath has already become just as interesting.
Celtic fury over the controversial moments
Celtic’s frustrations were not limited to their performance.
There were several moments involving referee Nick Walsh and the VAR team of Andrew Dallas and Steven McLean that have given the Hoops plenty to debate after the final whistle.
One of the biggest flashpoints came when Emmanuel Fernandez appeared to bring Sebastian Tounekti down, with Celtic feeling that Walsh should have stopped play. The decision not to award the free-kick immediately drew strong reactions, with former Celtic goalkeeper Pat Bonner expressing his disbelief and Peter Lovenkrands arguing that the incident was a clear foul.
There was also a Celtic penalty appeal involving Olwethu Makhanya and Kasper Høgh, while Rangers later had a goal ruled out after Fernandez headed home from a James Penrice delivery.
The latter decision was particularly contentious because Rangers had seemingly found the net again, only for the offside flag to go up. The goal was ultimately not allowed to stand, adding another talking point to an already heated afternoon.
Then came the late confrontation involving Haissem Hassan and Penrice, which further inflamed the atmosphere. Hassan was hauled down by Dujon Sterling before Penrice kicked the ball towards him while he was on the ground. Hassan immediately reacted, with players from both sides rushing towards the incident before Hassan and Penrice were booked.
Those incidents have fuelled plenty of frustration among Celtic supporters, with some questioning the officiating and asking whether the outcome could have been different had certain decisions gone their way.
But there has been no official ruling establishing that VAR made a decisive error in Rangers’ 3-0 victory, meaning the claims around a possible rematch remain fan reaction rather than an official competition position.
And that is where the biggest announcement of the afternoon arrived.
SPFL make Rangers’ next-round decision
There was never going to be a replay or rematch simply because of post-match complaints. Rangers had already done the job on the pitch, Celtic had been eliminated from the Premier Sports Cup and attention immediately turned towards the semi-final draw.
The SPFL subsequently confirmed the outcome of the draw — and Rangers now know exactly who stands between them and a place in the Premier Sports Cup final.
Rangers will face Aberdeen in the semi-final at Hampden Park.
The other last-four tie will see Hearts take on Hibernian, meaning the competition has produced a fascinating set of semi-final fixtures after Sunday’s dramatic quarter-final action.
Aberdeen booked their place in the last four after overcoming Kilmarnock on penalties despite playing for more than an hour with 10 men. Goalkeeper Marius Müller was the hero of that contest, saving three penalties before Jack Milne converted the decisive spot-kick.
For McInnes, that means a reunion with Aberdeen and Stephen Robinson awaits.
The Rangers boss had already praised Robinson’s work after watching Aberdeen navigate their difficult quarter-final, particularly the way they survived after going down to 10 men.
Now, that admiration will have to be put aside.
Rangers have eliminated Celtic, ended their domestic unbeaten start and moved into the final four. The next assignment is Aberdeen at Hampden, with the semi-finals scheduled for the weekend of October 31 and November 1.
The controversy may continue to dominate the Celtic side of the conversation, but the official decision from the SPFL is clear: Rangers are through, Aberdeen are next, and the road to the Premier Sports Cup final remains firmly open for McInnes and his side.
Nafisa
