Rangers Turn Ibrox Control Into Celtic Cup Exit

Rangers booked a Scottish League Cup semi-final against Aberdeen by defeating Celtic 3-0 at Ibrox. Dan Neil scored in the 23rd minute and 75th minute, with Kevin Kelsy adding the other goal in the 59th minute. The result sends Rangers into the last four and leaves Celtic preparing for Ferencvaros before the clubs meet again at Celtic Park next Sunday.

The margin reflected the flow of the afternoon. Rangers had 15 attempts to Celtic's 7 and registered 8 shots on target, while Celtic managed 1. Celtic had 47% possession against Rangers' 53%, but the visitors could not convert their time on the ball into the chances that might have changed the contest.

A benchmark, not a conclusion

McInnes viewed the performance as a useful marker for a young Rangers group. His post-match assessment placed the victory within a run of seven wins from eight and five successive wins. The pre-match form guide, however, showed four straight Rangers wins immediately before this fixture, following a defeat to Jablonec.

That distinction matters. This was not a claim about what Rangers had achieved on arrival; it was a measure of what this result added to their record. Against Celtic, they produced the intensity and execution McInnes had demanded, creating a standard they must now try to meet again.

Neil supplied the decisive edge

Neil's first goal followed Ryan Naderi's pass to Kelsy, whose lay-off gave the Rangers captain space outside the penalty area. Kelsy then found room at the back post for his first Rangers goal. Neil finished the scoring with a curling strike after Emmanuel Fernandez had earlier been ruled offside.

Neil was named player of the match, but Rangers' control extended beyond his finishing. Their collective work restricted Celtic's opportunities and allowed the midfield to dictate long stretches of the game.

The match figures underline that advantage. Sam Johnstone made 5 saves for Celtic, while Ivor Pandur made 1 for Rangers. Rangers also had 5 corners to Celtic's 3, and Celtic committed 15 fouls to Rangers' 12.

Celtic have a response to make

Martin O'Neill accepted that Celtic had been beaten on merit. He identified promising first-half positions in which his side surrendered possession, including three or four counter-attacking opportunities that did not produce a final threat. Rangers led 1-0 at half-time, but Celtic could not build the pressure needed to bring the match back into reach.

Camilo Durán had little influence from the right and Sebastian Tounekti struggled on the left. Haissem Hassan entered at half-time, while Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and James Forrest came on in the 64th minute, without shifting the course of the game.

Celtic will have home support for the Premiership rematch next Sunday. Rangers, though, have shown the level Celtic must answer.

Semi-final place secured

Rangers will face Aberdeen in the semi-finals, while Hearts meet Hibernian in the other tie. The matches are set for the weekend of 31 October / 1 November. Rangers now have a clear cup route ahead; Celtic have little time to absorb a difficult setback.

Research: This article uses the archived evidence supplied for this story. Story inspiration: BBC Sport's original report.