Rangers reach Scottish Cup Final

[DavidMc]

Rangers v St Johnstone
Scottish Cup Semi-Final
Sunday 20th April
Hampden Park, Glasgow

Former Chelsea midfielder Jody Morris faces a late fitness test ahead of Sunday's Scottish Cup semi-final against Rangers at Hampden.

Fit-again Martin Hardie is pushing for a starting place, but fellow midfielder Rocco Quinn is an injury absentee.

Goalkeeper Allan McGregor and midfielder Lee McCulloch join Charlie Adam and DaMarcus Beasley on Rangers' absentee list through injury.

Meanwhile, defender David Weir also misses out through suspension.



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St Johnstone (from): Main, Stanic, Rutkiewicz, Anderson, James, McManus, Irvine, Craig, Moon, Quinn, Morris, Sheerin, Hardie, Jackson, MacDonald, Milne, Weatherston, Cuthbert.

Rangers (from): Alexander, Whittaker, Dailly, Cuellar, Papac, Ferguson, Davis, Burke, Thomson, Boyd, Cousin, Novo, Naismith, G Smith, Darcheville, S Smith, Furman, Gow, Hemdani.

[DavidMc]

Halftime 0-0

Not been a good 45mins for us. Both Chris Burke and Steven Naismith stretchered off after only 20mins. Burke with what looks like a serious ankle injury and Naismith with a knee problem.

Thomas Buffel replaced Burke and has looked sharp. We need all experienced players for this seasons run-in.

We should step up a gear in the second half. Still expect us to score a couple of goals.

[DavidMc]

90mins gone.

Game goes to extra-time.

[DavidMc]

Rangers reach Scottish Cup Final

Rangers are through to the Scottish Cup final after a penalty shoot-out victory over St Johnstone at Hampden Park.

Following a goalless 90 minutes, Daniel McBreen headed the Perth side into an extra-time lead at the back post.

Nacho Novo then levelled from the spot after Kevin Rutkiewicz was adjudged to have fouled Daniel Cousin.

Novo hit the post in the final stages, and in the penalties that followed Neil Alexander was the hero with saves from Steven Milne and Jody Morris.

Walter Smith's line-up indicated he had on eye on the club's forthcoming busy schedule.

Only Christian Dailly and Carlos Cuellar survived from the team that lost to Celtic as Walter Smith made nine changes.

St Johnstone midfielder Morris passed a fitness test, and showed he was fighting fit by putting in a couple of hard tackles early on.

Smith was forced to shuffle his pack after only 10 minutes when Chris Burke was caught on the ankle by Kevin Rutkiewicz as the St Johnstone defender played a pass.

Clearly in some distress, Burke left the field on a stretcher to be replaced by Thomas Buffel.

With no chances at either end, the Rangers manager found himself the busiest man in Hampden, making his second change on 18 minutes.

Steven Naismith had received an accidental stamp on the knee from Martin Hardy.

The midfielder appeared well enough to continue, before collapsing on the turf with no player around him.

Midway through the half, Buffel thought he had given his side the lead, but the Belgian had strayed just offside before poking the ball home from six yards.

Saints defender Goran Stanic then handed Nacho Novo a golden opportunity to score with a slack pass-back which was not helped by the sticky Hampden turf.

But Novo shot wide under pressure from the onrushing Main.

St Johnstone were holding Rangers, but toiled to create any scoring opportunities, and it looked like a matter of time before the Ibrox side opened their account.

But they were unable to do so and their fans vented their displeasure at halftime whistle.

Walter Smith's men begain the second 45 with more urgency and Steven Whittaker swung in a cross towards Novo, but Main was again alert to tip over the bar.

Saints' Milne had a rare sight at goal, but was unable to keep his shot down from 14 yards, while at the other end Novo spurned another chance by shooting straight at Main.

Milne made Alexander dive low to save his flick from sneaking into the bottom corner as St Johstone crept more into the game.

Main again came to St Johnstone's rescue, coming quickly off his line to gather when Novo had put Cousin through.

With three minutes of regulation time to go Davis watched his goal-bound diving header hacked clear by Liam Craig, as the Perth side forced extra-time.

And three minutes into overtime Daniel McBreen gave St Johnstone a shock lead, nodding Sheerin's cross into the corner of the Alexander's net.

But Rangers were handed a lifeline when referee Dougie McDonald pointed to the spot for Rutkiewicz's foul on Cousin, and Novo stepped up to hammer the ball low past Main.

Milne had an excellent chance to win the day for Saints, but blasted his shot over from inside the box.

Novo then hit the post in the dying minutes, and Buffel was unlucky not to be awarded a penalty as he was caught while attempting to reach the rebound.

Milne and Brahim Hemdani missed for each side in the ensuing the penalty shoot-out, before Jody Morris' miss left Daniel Cousin the task of sending Rangers into the final.