Cyriel Dessers struck twice as Rangers celebrated their long-awaited return to Ibrox with a 3-0 Premier Sports Cup quarter-final win over Dundee.
The Light Blues had played their home games at Hampden Park due to the delayed refurbishment of the Copland Stand, which was still not completely open for the visit of the Taysiders, who went behind after 18 minutes to a strike from Dessers.
Rangers skipper James Tavernier doubled that lead from the penalty spot five minutes into the second half before Dessers grabbed his second in the 66th minute – his seventh goal in nine appearances this season – to confirm the holders’ place in the last-four draw.
Philippe Clement had made a lot of Rangers returning home for the first time since May 14 when they beat Dundee 5-2 in the league but the visitors coped well enough until Dessers got the breakthrough.
Brazilian wide-man Jefte sent Nedim Bajrami, making his first Rangers start, scampering down the left and when the Nigeria forward connected sweetly with his low cross, Dundee goalkeeper Trevor Carson cleared with his foot.
Gers right-back Tavernier ran onto the loose ball and drove back towards goal where Dessers neatly redirected the ball into the net from 10 yards.
Dundee had offered little going forward until the 25th minute when striker Simon Murray’s drive was blocked by keeper Jack Butland, albeit the offside flag was up.
The visitors became emboldened and Butland had to rush from his goal to thwart winger Oluwaseun Adewumi who had raced onto a defence-splitting pass from Mohamed Sylla, which acted as another warning to the home defence.
In the 35th minute Dessers took a pass from Bajrami and did well to work a yard of space for himself inside the Dundee box under pressure from defender Antonio Portales but again Carson blocked with his foot and he then saved an acrobatic effort from the Gers striker just before the break.
Midfielder Mohamed Diomande took over from Dujon Sterling for the start of the second half, where Rangers soon found themselves two goals clear.
Sylla hauled Dessers to the ground inside the box from a corner, the Dundee player having no complaints when referee Chris Graham pointed to the spot then booked him, with Tavernier slamming the penalty past Carson for his first goal of the season.
It was Butland’s turn to make a crucial save minutes later, brilliantly parrying a close-range header from Murray after the home side had failed to deal with a Dundee corner.
As the Govan side threatened again, Bajrami forced another great save from Carson with a drive with the former St Mirren and Motherwell keeper pushing a curling shot from Vaclav Cerny away from danger shortly afterwards.
Dundee substitute Seb Palmer-Houlden missed a great chance when he headed Lyall Cameron’s cross over the bar from eight yards and that miss was compounded when Dessers confidently volleyed in a cross from Bajrami in the 66th minute, before making way for Hamza Igamane, with Ross McCausland on for Cerny.
There was more frustration for Dundee when a mistake from Tavernier allowed Scott Tiffoney an opportunity but Butland blocked his shot.
There was time for new signing Neraysho Kasanwirjo to make his debut as replacement for Tavernier and time for the home side to create and miss several chances to add gloss to the scoreline, with Igamane having at least three attempts on his own.
Interim boss Stephen Frail expects Motherwell to appoint a new manager next week and admits their first job will be to lift the players’ confidence after a 3-0 mauling at home to Ross County.A double from Ronan Hale and Connor Randall’s last-minute strike secured an impressive victory for the Staggies at Fir Park.Defeat sees the Steelmen drop into the bottom half of the Premiership tab...
Mark Hughes heaped praise on goalkeeper Gabe Breeze after Carlisle picked up a vital point in the League Two relegation battle with a goalless draw against in-form Colchester at Brunton Park.Breeze made two excellent saves from Lyle Taylor as the Cumbrians ended a four-game losing run and the former Man City boss was astounded by the 21-year-old’s performance.He said: “The game had som...
Chesterfield boss Paul Cook launched a scathing attack on his play-off hopefuls after they surrendered an early lead to lose 3-1 at Sky Bet League Two table-toppers Walsall.The Spireites enjoyed a rapid start when Jamie Grimes’ eighth-minute header put them ahead against a wobbling Walsall side, who were winless in five matches with the chasing pack closing in.However, Bim Pepple and Dylan D...
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has allayed fears of an injury scare to top scorer Erling Haaland ahead of next week’s Champions League trip to Real Madrid.Haaland went down clutching his leg in the latter stages of the champions’ 4-0 Premier League thrashing of Newcastle at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday and was immediately substituted.Losing the Norwegian would be a major blow to ...
Rotherham manager Steve Evans described Thomas Parsons’ performance as “atrocious” after the referee awarded a stoppage-time penalty from which Reading snatched a 2-1 victory in League One.Reading had led 1-0 at half-time through top scorer Harvey Knibbs but Sam Nombe levelled for Rotherham from a spot-kick in the 57th minute.With the game heading for a draw, Parsons adjudged Mil...
Michael Flynn believes his team can make a charge towards the League Two play-offs places after watching them come from 2-0 down to beat Barrow 3-2 at home.Matty Taylor scored twice before fellow substitute Ashley Hay hit the winner as the Robins continued their perfect home record in 2025.Cheltenham climbed to 13th in the table and sit eight points off seventh-placed Crewe with two games in hand....
Birmingham manager Chris Davies praised Jay Stansfield’s work ethic after he lit up St Andrew’s with the only goal of a 1-0 win to sink play-off chasing Charlton.Stansfield’s 23rd-minute strike stretched City’s lead to nine points ahead of second-placed Wycombe, with Blues boasting a game in hand.Victory was City’s 30th in all competitions as they extended their unbea...
Andoni Iraola refused to get carried away after Bournemouth fans were left dreaming of a potential Champions League adventure following a first league double over south-coast rivals Southampton.Travelling Cherries fans chanted of playing in European football’s premier competition next season after their side soared to fifth spot in the Premier League table thanks to a deserved 3-1 success at...
Norwich head coach Johannes Hoff Thorup praised his side for fighting back to draw 1-1 at Hull after he demanded “I want to see my football team back”.The Norwich boss had some tough words for his team as they trailed 1-0 at half-time to the relegation-threatened side, including for Kellen Fisher – but the player then delivered the assist for Josh Sargent’s equaliser.The Un...
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers says Jota has a chance of starting against Bayern Munich after scoring and impressing in a 3-0 victory over Dundee United.Jota earned the club’s man-of-the-match award after cutting in from the left and curling home from 18 yards to double the lead given to the hosts by another impressive finish from Callum McGregor.The Portuguese winger has now started two gam...
