2017-04-23: Celtic 2-0 TheRangers, Scottish Cup

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The final scoreline did not even begin to reflect the superiority enjoyed by Brendan Rodgers’ men as they secured Celtic’s first Scottish Cup semi-final victory over their Old Firm rivals since 1925. Seldom in the history of this fixture has a 90 minutes been quite as one-sided.

Aside from a late rally from Rangers, the Scottish champions were utterly dominant as goals from Callum McGregor and Scott Sinclair booked their place in the 27 May final against Aberdeen. The gulf between the teams was every bit as wide as the 33 points which currently separate them in the Premiership table suggest.

For new Rangers manager Pedro Caixinha, it was a stark illustration of the size of the task facing him as he looks to make the Ibrox club credible challengers to Celtic’s currently undisputed status as the country’s pre-eminent force.

Twelve months on from last season’s semi-final between the teams, when Rangers’ victory spelled the beginning of the end of Ronny Deila’s tenure at Celtic, the transformational effect Rodgers has had was underlined once more.

Celtic exerted their superiority from the start, playing with assurance and authority. In contrast, Rangers were uncertain and almost passive in a first half which somehow saw them manage to restrict the tournament favourites to a single-goal lead.

The breakthrough came in the 11th minute and was a sweet moment for McGregor who was one of the Celtic players who failed from the penalty spot last year when Rangers won the tie in a shoot-out.

The midfielder is blossoming under Rodgers’ guidance and he provided a sublime finishing touch after Moussa Dembele had neatly taken down a long ball from Mikael Lustig inside the Rangers penalty area and turned smartly to lay it off. McGregor strode on to the pass and arrowed a first-time left-foot shot beyond the helpless Wes Foderingham.

Dembele, pictured, missed a chance to double Celtic’s lead when he headed over from a Stuart Armstrong corner but the French striker’s involvement came to a premature end when he pulled a hamstring midway through the first half.

His replacement Leigh Griffiths quickly forced a save from Foderingham as Celtic remained firmly in the ascendancy. It took Rangers until the 41st minute to manage their first attempt at goal, a long-range effort from Kenny Miller which flew well off target. Caixinha showed a willingness to be proactive in a bid to alter the flow of the match, making a double substitute at the start of the second half with Barrie McKay and Joe Dodoo replacing Andy Halliday and Joe Garner.

It initially appeared as if the changes might have the desired effect for Rangers, Dodoo missing a decent headed chance from a long Martyn Waghorn throw-in, but a Celtic counter-attack in that instant saw them go 2-0 up.

The raid saw Griffiths sprint into the penalty area where he was taken out by James Tavernier’s mis-timed challenge. Despite Tavernier’s protests, it was a straightforward decision from referee Willie Collum which required little help from additional assistant Don Robertson behind the goal.

Sinclair stepped forward to convert from the spot. Foderingham did well to get a touch to the ball but could not prevent the winger claiming his 24th goal of an outstanding individual season. The Rangers goalkeeper then did well to touch over a fierce shot from Griffiths as Celtic appeared capable of inflicting a heavy defeat on their old rivals.

Rangers gradually offered greater resistance and showed more purpose in their work. Veteran striker Miller was yet again their most effective performer, dragging his team on to the front foot with a firm header which forced Craig Gordon into his first save of the match in the 62nd minute.

Miller was unlucky with a lob which dropped just over the crossbar, then had a shot saved by Gordon as Rangers searched desperately for a lifeline. Waghorn should have offered them that sliver of hope in the 87th minute when he wastefully headed over from close range after being picked out by Tavernier’s cross.

Yet there remained a sense that Celtic, who were denied a third goal when substitute Tom Rogic struck Foderingham’s right-hand post with a 20 yard drive, would have been able to respond to any questions posed of them.

They enjoyed control in midfield for most of the afternoon, driven on by captain Scott Brown, whose availability following the initial threat of a suspension for his red card at Ross County the previous weekend proved to be a key factor in his team’s fourth victory in five Old Firm matches this season.

BBC Scotland at Hampden

Callum McGregor's superbly placed finish put the Premiership champions ahead during a dominant first half from Brendan Rodgers' side.

Scott Sinclair squeezed in a penalty after Rangers' James Tavernier had fouled Leigh Griffiths.

Goalkeeper Craig Gordon twice denied Kenny Miller in Rangers' best attacks.

But the Ibrox side could not prevent the first defeat of Pedro Caixinha's reign as manager and must now focus on securing European qualification through the league.

Sinclair's penalty put the seal on Celtic's win

This was a difficult day for Rangers, but one can only speculate as to how much sorer it might have been had Andy Halliday been sent off after lunging in on Patrick Roberts early on. The Rangers midfielder took Roberts out and was fortunate to see yellow instead of red.

Quickly, Celtic took hold of things and their greater intensity, accuracy and quality paid off with the opener. Mikael Lustig hit a long ball over Danny Wilson's head and into Moussa Dembele, who took it down, looked around him and saw McGregor steaming forward untracked.

The Frenchman played it to McGregor, who stroked it coolly into the corner of Wes Foderingham's net.

Celtic were dominant but their mission was not helped when they lost Dembele to a hamstring injury just before the half-hour. Griffiths came on.

Rangers had been fortunate to escape a dismissal earlier with Halliday and were lucky again when Myles Beerman, already on a yellow for fouling Roberts, impeded him again a minute later.

Beerman survived, but it was not long before Rangers' hopes of a cup final appearance were extinguished.

Caixinha made two substitutions at the break – Joe Dodoo coming on for the peripheral Joe Garner and Barrie McKay replacing Halliday – but no sooner had those changes bedded in than Celtic hit their opponents on the counter-attack and smoothed their passage to the final.

It was Dedryck Boyata who broke up a Rangers attack and got his team on the front foot. Roberts took it on and put Griffiths into the box, where he was taken down by Tavernier. The spot-kick from Sinclair found the target via Foderingham's diving hands and then the inside of his right-hand post.

There could have been more. Foderingham tipped over Griffiths' shot, Boyata headed over and Roberts had one saved. Celtic then lost their edge and Rangers got on top and started creating chances – good ones.

Kenny Miller

Miller had a frustrating day at the national stadium

Just after the hour, Miller had a close-range header saved by Gordon. The striker might have done a whole lot better.

Then, with 10 minutes left, he had another opportunity – a point-blank shot kicked away by Gordon. Again, it was the type of opening that Rangers had to convert.

Martyn Waghorn headed over from a good position, Dodoo forced a diving save from Gordon and, at the other end, McGregor's replacement Tom Rogic hit a post for Celtic.

Celtic are now just one win from a domestic treble after their triumph over Rangers at Hampden

Celtic ran out comfortable 2-0 winners over Rangers in the Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden courtesy of Callum McGregor's strike and a Scott Sinclair penalty.

The champions dominated the majority of the match as they continued their unbeaten run in domestic competition this season.

Derek McInnes's Aberdeen, who beat Hibs in Saturday's semi-final, are now the only side in the country who can stop Celtic from sealing a treble in boss Brendan Rodgers' debut season.

For Rangers, it was a first defeat for manager Pedro Caixinha.

Here, former Celtic goalkeeper Pat Bonner and ex-Rangers striker Kris Boyd offer their views on how the players on each team performed.

Celtic

Craig Gordon (goalkeeper) 8

Two or three critical saves in the second half as Rangers began to threaten.

Mikael Lustig (right-back) 7

Didn't do anything wrong. Steady. Good long pass for the opening goal to find Moussa Dembele.

Martyn Waghorn and Jozo Simunovic

Celtic's Jozo Simunovic had little to do against Rangers striker Martyn Waghorn

Jozo Simunovic (centre-back) 7

Good partnership with Dedryck Boyata. Never really troubled by the Rangers attack until late in the game.

Dedryck Boyata (centre-back) 7

Defended well and won the tackle that led to Celtic being able to break for the second goal.

Kieran Tierney (left-back) 7

Wasn't his most influential game in a Celtic jersey but as dependable as ever.

Scott Brown (centre midfield) 8

Led by example and could have had a nine. Strolled through the game. He's so influential and so important.

Celtic captain Scott Brown

Brown bossed the midfield at Hampden

Stuart Armstrong (centre midfield) 7

Not at his most influential on the ball but off the ball he caused Rangers problems.

Callum McGregor (centre midfield) 8

He scored a fantastic goal and had a couple of other shots on target.

Patrick Roberts (wing) 7

Didn't do all that much in the game although he was on the end of a hefty challenge early on. Did enough to cause Myles Beerman problems.

Scott Sinclair (wing) 7

Scored penalty and took up some good positions. Often involved in Celtic's most threatening moves.

Leigh Griffiths and Scott Sinclair

Leigh Griffiths won the penalty that Sinclair scored to make it 2-0

Moussa Dembele (striker) 7

Good control for the opening goal and good movement too. Unfortunate to get injured.

Substitutes

Leigh Griffiths (replaced Dembele after 34 minutes) 7

Did well to win the penalty, which gave Celtic that comfortable two-goal cushion.

Tom Rogic (replaced McGregor after 75 minutes) 6

Hit post with a good late effort but clearly still finding fitness after a long period out.

James Forrest (replaced Roberts after 82 minutes) 6

Too late to have a serious impact on the match.

Rangers players

It proved to be a difficult day for the Rangers players

Rangers

Wes Foderingham (goalkeeper) 7

Unlucky with the penalty and made a couple of decent saves to give his side a glimmer of hope.

James Tavernier (right-back) 5

One of his better games against Celtic. Put some decent crosses in, which might have led to goals but rash in diving in for the penalty.

David Bates (centre-back) 6

Did OK to cope with the strength of Dembele and the movement of Griffiths.

Danny Wilson (centre-back) 5

Caught out of position for the first goal and made a couple of passes that went astray.

James Tavernier

Tavernier earned a yellow card for the foul on Griffiths for Celtic's penalty

Myles Beerman (left-back) 5

Tough Old Firm debut for the young man and perhaps a little lucky to avoid a second yellow.

Andy Halliday (centre midfield) 5

McGregor ran off him for the opening goal and another player who can consider himself lucky to stay on the pitch.

Jason Holt (centre midfield) 5

Covered a lot of ground but with no influence on the game.

Emerson Hyndman (wing) 5

Never involved in the play. Unable to create any danger and no surprise he was eventually replaced.

Joe Dodoo offered Rangers some attacking threat in the second half

Martyn Waghorn (wing) 5

Late headed chance, which should at least have hit the target, but he had no overall impact on the game.

Joe Garner (striker) 4

Not the game for him with Rangers having so little attacking play. The question could be 'why did he start the game?'

Kenny Miller (striker) 7

Should have scored with a headed chance, but the only one who didn't look out of his depth against Celtic.

Substitutes

Joe Dodoo (replaced Garner after 45 minutes) 6

One good shot that forced Craig Gordon into a decent save. Raw but showed willingness.

Rangers' Kenny Miller

Miller was one of Rangers' better performers but he was unable to get on the scoresheet

Barrie McKay (replaced Halliday after 45 minutes) 5

Added a bit of pace when he came on at half-time but was unable to create much.

Josh Windass (replaced Hyndman after 70 minutes) 5