Dundee United secured a Scottish Cup final place with an opportunist, but ultimately comfortable, victory over Rangers.
Stuart Armstrong finished decisively for the opening goal, which came after the Ibrox side spurned a clear chance.
Gary Mackay-Steven’s second came via a deflection and the Rangers goalkeeper Steve Simonsen made an error for Nadir Ciftci’s third.
The Ibrox side had made it 2-1 with a first-half Steven Smith free-kick.
But they were unable to truly threaten United’s passage to a final meeting with either Aberdeen or St Johnstone on 17 May.
Whoever Jackie McNamara’s side face, the occasion is likely to lack the relentless intensity of this contest.
Dundee United secured a Scottish Cup final place with an opportunist, but ultimately comfortable, victory over Rangers.
Stuart Armstrong finished decisively for the opening goal, which came after the Ibrox side spurned a clear chance.
Gary Mackay-Steven’s second came via a deflection and the Rangers goalkeeper Steve Simonsen made an error for Nadir Ciftci’s third.
The Ibrox side had made it 2-1 with a first-half Steven Smith free-kick.
But they were unable to truly threaten United’s passage to a final meeting with either Aberdeen or St Johnstone on 17 May.
Whoever Jackie McNamara’s side face, the occasion is likely to lack the relentless intensity of this contest.
When Fraser Aird was free in the area, he laid the ball back to Jon Daly, only for the striker to direct a shot rashly over the bar.
Moments later, Richard Foster failed to clear his lines and allowed Ryan Gauld to burrow into the Rangers penalty area before shunting into the path of Armstrong. He could not connect cleanly and neither, subsequently, could Mackay-Steven, but the ball looped off Bilel Mohsni, over Simonsen, and into the net.
Smith restored some hope for Rangers with a free-kick that squeezed between Radoslaw Cierzniak and the base of his left-hand post.
That goal came just before half-time and, athough Rangers continued to enjoy greater possession after the interval, their frailties could not be disguised.
Mohsni was often hapless in possession, attacks were intermittent and haphazard in nature, and there was not enough link-up play between the midfield and the forwards.
United’s midfield struggled to retain possession, and their defence often sat too deep, but their four front players were a constant threat, not least because of the calamities that the Rangers defence were capable of.
When Foster broke up one move and passed back to Simonsen, the goalkeeper hesitated before stubbing the ball straight at Ciftci. The striker rounded the stricken goalkeeper and was celebrating even before he rolled the ball into the empty net.
Rangers restored something of their reputation with this display, but United were the more clinical side.
BBC SPORT
About the Author
