Two goals in three extra-time minutes by Ryan Jack and Scott Wright won Rangers the Scottish Cup against Hearts and ease the pain of their Europa League final defeat.
The Ibrox side claimed the trophy for the first time since in 13 years after Jack crashed a shot in off the bar from the edge of the box, before Wright finished low past Craig Gordon.
Hearts’ stood strong in the 90 minutes but did not offer enough in attack, apart from Ellis Simms’ lunging effort off a post after only 10 minutes.
The Rangers end of Hampden celebrated joyfully at the full-time whistle, just three days after their Europa League final journey ended in heartbreak on penalties against Eintracht Frankfurt in Seville.
Manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst made five changes to his team after 120 minutes of energy-sapping football in Spain, and his side again defied suggestions of fatigue as the match wore on.
That was despite this being their 66th match of the season, and the fourth of their last 11 to go to extra-time.
In fact, it was the Ibrox side who finished the stronger. Hearts goalkeeper Gordon pulled off a remarkable stop with his left foot to deny Joe Aribo in stoppage-time, before Wright headed on to the top of the bar with the last chance of normal time.
But Rangers carried the momentum straight into extra-time, as Aribo headed over from point-blank range before Jack took the hardest chance of the afternoon by smashing in off the bar from 20 yards.
The west end of Hampden erupted, and it seemed to rattle Hearts, who stretched themselves immediately in pursuit of an equaliser only to be dealt a decisive blow on the break.
Rangers won the ball on the edge of their own box, and Ryan Kent went streaking up the pitch before playing in Wright, who kept his cool to fire low into the corner past Gordon.
Hearts were bright in the first half but fell deeper into their own territory after the break, and will be left wondering what might had been had Simms turned in Liam Boyce’s cross in from six yards early in the first half.
But it is Rangers who can celebrate ending an eventful the season with a trophy, having lost out on the Premiership title and Europa League.
While the pain of Seville will linger, a first domestic cup since 2011 is something to savour.
More to follow.
Rate players out of 10 throughout or after the game. The rater will close 30 minutes after the final whistle.
Rating range key1 = Give it up10 = Pure perfection
Rangers
Starting XI
Avg
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Squad number33Player nameMcLaughlin
Average rating6.10
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Squad number2Player nameTavernier
Average rating6.34
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Squad number6Player nameGoldson
Average rating6.02
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Squad number26Player nameBalogun
Average rating5.95
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Squad number3Player nameBassey
Average rating7.41
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Squad number10Player nameDavis
Average rating6.24
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Squad number4Player nameLundstram
Average rating6.09
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Squad number37Player nameArfield
Average rating5.89
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Squad number9Player nameDiallo
Average rating6.10
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Squad number17Player nameAyodele-Aribo
Average rating6.23
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Squad number14Player nameKent
Average rating6.37
Substitutes
Avg
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Squad number1Player nameMcGregor
Average rating7.44
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Squad number8Player nameJack
Average rating6.84
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Squad number18Player nameKamara
Average rating6.54
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Squad number23Player nameWright
Average rating6.24
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Squad number30Player nameSakala
Average rating6.36
Heart of Midlothian
Starting XI
Avg
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Squad number1Player nameGordon
Average rating7.20
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Squad number4Player nameSouttar
Average rating7.13
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Squad number19Player nameHalkett
Average rating6.49
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Squad number3Player nameKingsley
Average rating6.26
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Squad number12Player nameAtkinson
Average rating4.91
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Squad number5Player nameHaring
Average rating5.79
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Squad number14Player nameDevlin
Average rating5.92
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Squad number17Player nameCochrane
Average rating5.91
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Squad number10Player nameBoyce
Average rating6.35
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Squad number20Player nameSimms
Average rating6.65
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Squad number18Player nameMcKay
Average rating6.04
Substitutes
Avg
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Squad number8Player nameMcEneff
Average rating4.48
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Squad number11Player nameMackay-Steven
Average rating4.36
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Squad number16Player nameHalliday
Average rating4.69
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Squad number30Player nameGinnelly
Average rating4.71
Line-ups
Rangers
Formation 4-3-3
- 33McLaughlinSubstituted forMcGregorat 119’minutes
- 2Tavernier
- 6Goldson
- 26Balogun
- 3Bassey
- 10DavisSubstituted forJackat 81’minutes
- 4Lundstram
- 37ArfieldSubstituted forKamaraat 81’minutes
- 9DialloBooked at 59minsSubstituted forWrightat 63’minutes
- 17Ayodele-AriboSubstituted forSakalaat 105’minutes
- 14Kent
Substitutes
- 1McGregor
- 8Jack
- 11Itten
- 16Ramsey
- 18Kamara
- 19Sands
- 23Wright
- 25Roofe
- 30Sakala
- 43King
- 51Lowry
Hearts
Formation 3-4-1-2
- 1Gordon
- 4Souttar
- 19HalkettBooked at 106mins
- 3Kingsley
- 12Atkinson
- 5HaringBooked at 4mins
- 14DevlinSubstituted forMcEneffat 105’minutes
- 17CochraneSubstituted forMackay-Stevenat 100’minutes
- 10BoyceSubstituted forHallidayat 76’minutes
- 20Simms
- 18McKaySubstituted forGinnellyat 82’minutes
Substitutes
- 2Smith
- 8McEneff
- 9Woodburn
- 11Mackay-Steven
- 13Stewart
- 15Moore
- 16Halliday
- 21Sibbick
- 30Ginnelly
- Referee:
- William Collum
Live Text
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Match ends, Rangers 2, Heart of Midlothian 0.
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Second Half Extra Time ends, Rangers 2, Heart of Midlothian 0.
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Attempt missed. John Souttar (Heart of Midlothian) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses the top right corner following a corner.
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Corner, Heart of Midlothian. Conceded by Calvin Bassey.
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Attempt saved. Glen Kamara (Rangers) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
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Attempt saved. Ryan Kent (Rangers) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
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Substitution, Rangers. Allan McGregor replaces Jon McLaughlin.
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Corner, Heart of Midlothian. Conceded by Leon Balogun.
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Corner, Heart of Midlothian. Conceded by Connor Goldson.
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Foul by Connor Goldson (Rangers).
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Josh Ginnelly (Heart of Midlothian) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Attempt saved. Fashion Sakala (Rangers) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
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Craig Halkett (Heart of Midlothian) is shown the yellow card.
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Fashion Sakala (Rangers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Craig Halkett (Heart of Midlothian).
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Substitution, Rangers. Fashion Sakala replaces Joe Ayodele-Aribo.
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Second Half Extra Time begins Rangers 2, Heart of Midlothian 0.
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Substitution, Heart of Midlothian. Aaron McEneff replaces Cameron Devlin.
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First Half Extra Time ends, Rangers 2, Heart of Midlothian 0.
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Leon Balogun (Rangers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.