What we learnt as Rangers seal a berth at Hampden to challenge Celtic’s record with a win against Hibs.
Rangers have advanced to the Scottish Cup semi-finals, with a trip to Hampden awaiting them after a hard-fought victory over Hibs at Easter Road.
The Gers’ treble chances are alive and well after defeating the 9-man Easter Road side in a frantic match in Leith.
Rangers’ midfielder John Lundstram took the lead in the first half by reacting quickly to David Marshall’s James Tavernier penalty save.
After Hibs’ Jordan Obita and Nathan Moriah-Welsh were sent off in the second half, Fabio Silva scored a second goal to seal the win.
Here are three things we learnt during the Scottish Cup match.
Rangers go out all guns blazing against Hibs in the Scottish Cup.
Rangers manager Philippe Clement prioritizes team rotation to achieve his goal of winning all games this season.
Clement is never hesitant about handing opportunities to players on the outskirts, and the unrelenting schedule adds a new depth to the “it’s a squad game” cliché.
Despite a tiring travel to Lisbon to play Benfica, Rangers boss surprised fans by selecting the same team that drew 2-2 in the Europa League.
It was without a doubt a significant message about how seriously Rangers take the Scottish Cup, and compliments to the squad for going out and delivering.
Rangers on pace to match Celtic’s triple record
The Scottish Cup victory over Hibs guarantees that Rangers’ treble ambition remains alive, following their League Cup success earlier this season.
Rangers also lead the Scottish Premiership by two points, and with Celtic struggling, they look to be heavy favourites to win the title.
A Scottish Cup semi-final will follow, with Rangers winning both tournaments to secure their first domestic trophy haul since 2002/03.
Celtic might tie the score (8) this season after winning five trebles in seven seasons, surpassing Rangers’ record.
Rangers receive a swipe of VAR green
Another game in Scottish football, another round of questionable refereeing decisions.
Rangers won a penalty kick in the first half after a Hibs defender tripped down Dujon Sterling in the area, which they converted.
The two red-card judgment in the second half clearly took the wind out of Hibs’ sails and is certain to be depressingly discussed in the coming days.
The first, a second yellow card issued to Jordan Obita for a confrontation with Rabbi Matondo, is arguably a little more contentious than the second.
Nathan Moriah-Welsh put his team on the line when he flew into a challenge on John Lundstram, and he can’t complain.
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