A brace from Cyriel Dessers propelled Rangers past Hearts in the Scottish Gas Scottish Cup semi-final, securing a spot in the Old Firm final. Dessers opened the scoring after five minutes and sealed the victory in the 78th minute, leading to a 2-0 win that saw Hearts still unable to best Rangers at Hampden Park.
While not their best performance, Philippe Clement’s side managed to secure the win, setting up a final clash against Celtic on May 25. The outcome of the cinch Premiership title race between the Old Firm rivals will also be determined by then, with Celtic currently leading by three points.
Despite high expectations following the thrilling semi-final between Celtic and Aberdeen, the match between Rangers and Hearts had less excitement and quality. Hearts had suffered four defeats to Rangers this season and had not won against them in 17 previous attempts, pointing towards another victory for the Light Blues.
Rangers, with just two wins in their last eight games, faced pressure to perform. Clement made bold decisions with his lineup, leaving out Connor Goldson in favor of other players. Dessers had returned to the team and managed to score two crucial goals.
Hearts made three changes to their starting lineup, hoping to challenge Rangers. Despite some early chances from Hearts, it was the Gers who took control of the game. Dessers’ goals proved to be the difference, setting up a final showdown against Celtic.
The match was not without drama, with late opportunities for both teams. But Rangers held on to secure their spot in the final and set the stage for a thrilling Old Firm clash.
