a devastating 7-1 defeat of Dundee United at Hampden
Park tonight - a devastating and fully deserved
success, yet one that belies a game of many twists and
turns.
Rangers, winners of the competition a record 23 times,
faced a Dundee United side whose last success was more
than twenty years ago - in Season 1980-81 to be
precise when Dundee were overcome 3-0 at Dens Park.
However the Tannadice side no doubt went into the
cup-tie encouraged by the fact that they were unbeaten
against their Glasgow opponents in their last four
games.
Both sides knew in advance that Motherwell awaited
tonight's winners on Sunday 20th March.
Manager Alex McLeish fielded new signing Ronald
Waterreus in goal in place of the ineligible Allan
McGregor, with Gregory Vignal replacing the injured
Bojan Djordjic and Barry Ferguson having to be content
with a place on the bench against a United side
containing three ex-Rangers, namely Paul Ritchie,
Derek McInnes and Barry Robson.
The Mount Florida ground was far from full - the
25,262 crowd containing a miserable 2,200 from
Tayside.
The Ibrox men struck as early as the sixth minute when
a defence-splitting Thomas Buffel pass found Nacho
Novo who rounded goalkeeper Nick Colgan before
slotting the ball home.
Rangers were looking in the mood even this early in
the proceedings - and went two up in seventeen minutes
when Dado Prso headed home a long high free-kick from
Marvin Andrews - the ball finding the net via an
upright with Colgan appearing to misjudge the flight
of the ball.
It might have been 3-0 two minutes later when Prso
seized on a through-pass from Sotirios Kyrgiakos only
to chip the ball into the arms of the waiting Colgan.
Colgan again came to United's rescue in 24 minutes,
holding a Kyrgiakos header from a Vignal corner.
The Tannadice side had barely managed an attack worthy
of the name, but it took a superb Buffel interception
to deny Mark Kerr a clear sight of goal on the
half-hour.
Six minutes later Novo, released by Vignal, saw his
effort blocked by Colgan, who would deny Nacho again
in 38 minutes - saving his poor penalty after Paul
Ritchie had hauled down Prso.
The half ended with Rangers well on top - Colgan again
coming to his side's rescue when he held a Buffel
header from a Maurice Ross cross.
The two-goal interval lead scarcely began to reflect
the Light Blues' overwhelming superiority - yet within
four minutes of the restart United had reduced the
deficit when substitute Jason Scotland netted from a
Jim McIntyre slip, the third goal the player has
scored against Rangers.
Novo might have restored the two-goal advantage almost
instantaneously when he shot straight at Colgan from a
Buffel header.
It was a different game now however - as was
emphasised when McIntyre struck both posts with a
25-yard drive in 56 minutes.
Two minutes later the Tannadice men had a penalty
claim denied by Referee Hugh Dallas when a Stephen
Crawford close-range shot struck Marvin Andrews.
Rangers were on the rack, in what was an unbelievable
turn-around from the first-half - Waterreus justifying
his selection with a fine one-handed save on the hour
from a twenty-yard Kerr drive from a Scotland lay-off.
The Ibrox men finally got to grips with the situation
- and regained the initiative in 66 minutes when
Buffel, with his first goal for the club, made it 3-1
when he met a Novo cross at the near post - Nacho
having been released down the right by a Ross pass.
Two minutes later Barry Ferguson was introduced to a
massive ovation from the Light Blue legions, replacing
Alex Rae.
Steven Thompson substituted for Dado Prso in 74
minutes, the Croatian receiving a standing ovation as
he departed.
The entire Rangers team had been uplifted by
Ferguson's introduction - and a trademark Ricksen
free-kick made it 4-1 in 76 minutes.
Rangers were rampant now - and three minutes later it
was five when Buffel's run released Ross wide on the
right, his cross being volleyed home by Thompson.
The score was now reflecting Rangers' first-half
superiority - and in 84 minutes it was 6-1 when
Ferguson found Novo with quickly taken free-kick,
Nacho rifling the ball home.
The final nail in Ian McCall's coffin arrived with
three minutes left when Thompson stabbed the ball home
after Ferguson's twenty-yard drive had come back off
Colgan.
Afterwards a relaxed Alex McLeish stated:
"We should have been further ahead at the interval,
but in the end our finishing was ruthless. United
changed their system at the interval, and it took us a
couple of changes to correct it. It was great to see
Barry Ferguson back - he received a wonderful
reception. He will drive players on. This tournament
can be the impetus and springboard to greater things."
RANGERS Waterreus; Ricksen, Ross; Kyrgiakos, Andrews,
Ball; Buffel, A. Rae (Ferguson 68), Prso (Thompson
74), Novo, Vignal
UNUSED SUBS Malcolm, Namouchi, G. Smith
DUNDEE UNITED Colgan; Mair (Dodds 74), Archibald (Duff
45); McInnes (Scotland 45), Ritchie, McCracken; Kerr,
Wilson, Crawford, McIntyre, Robson
UNUSED SUBS Grady, Bullock
REFEREE Hugh Dallas
Attendance 25,262