Rangers vs Celtic. Scottish Cup Fourth Round.
Ibrox Stadium.
Report as Celtic are dumped out of the Scottish Cup by Old Firm rivals Rangers in round four having won the trophy in each of the previous four seasons; Steven Davis and Jonjoe Kenny's own goal send Steven Gerrard's side through, Odsonne Edouard misses late Celtic penalty
Sunday 18 April 2021 18:56, UK
Steven Davis' overhead kick and Jonjoe Kenny's own goal kept up Rangers' hopes of a domestic double with a 2-0 Old Firm win over holders Celtic in the Scottish Cup.
Almost five years to the day since their last defeat in the competition - to the same opposition - the visitors were taught a lesson in finishing at Ibrox by the Scottish Premiership winners, who go through to host St Johnstone in round five.
Rangers went ahead with their first shot of the game when Joe Aribo's deflected effort was fired over his own shoulder by Davis and past a bamboozled Scott Bain with 10 minutes gone.
They doubled their lead when Aribo's excellent run and cross was turned past his own goalkeeper by Kenny under pressure from Ryan Kent (34).
Celtic should have reduced the deficit after half-time through Odsonne Edouard, who fired over an empty net from six yards before missing a penalty with 10 minutes to go. In the end they had no response to Rangers' confidence in front of goal, and will end their season without a trophy for the first time in over a decade.
Neither side registered a shot inside the opening 10 minutes at Ibrox, but from the off it was clear who was in control, with Rangers probing the Celtic backline and taking the lead with their first attempt.
Kent's quick-thinking turn on Brown set the hosts away, before a smart advantage, when he was chopped down by Stephen Welsh in midfield, allowed him to find Aribo. His shot after cutting inside was deflected and reached Davis, whose smart overhead kick caught Bain unawares.
Celtic finally grew in confidence midway through the half once Edouard had twisted to find space on the edge of the Rangers box and finally tested Allan McGregor, with Ryan Christie then shooting wide and Filip Helander clearing off the line when Welsh somehow missed an open goal from six yards.
That momentum only lasted so long, and by the half-time whistle Rangers had doubled their advantage. Aribo left Diego Laxalt chasing shadows down the right before crossing low towards Kent, whose pressure on Kenny was enough for the Everton loanee to divert the ball into his own goal.
Celtic emerged from the break a different team, testing McGregor inside 20 seconds through David Turnbull's long-range effort. On the hour mark, they should have halved the deficit when the goalkeeper palmed Mo Elyounoussi's effort straight at Edouard, only for the Frenchman to lift his shot over an unguarded net.
Elyounoussi returned the favour moments later, running the ball into McGregor from Edouard's square pass when he should have buried his first touch, but worse would follow with 10 minutes to go.
Leigh Griffiths was sent tumbling by Aribo in the area, before Edouard capped his own dreadful afternoon with a woeful penalty which was easily kept out by the goalkeeper.
Aribo could have added a third in the dying minutes but was denied by a crucial Greg Taylor challenge, but that only denied Rangers the cherry on the cake of a season which may well end in their first domestic double since 2008/09.
Aribo had a hand in both Rangers goals, seeing his deflected effort turned in by Davis for the first before Kenny did the honours past his own goalkeeper for the second.
The Nigeria international had a fine afternoon on the Rangers right, so much so that Laxalt's half-time withdrawal had a lot to do with his dominance in that area.
He could have capped an excellent performance by adding the late third he should have turned home, but he was superb regardless.
St Johnstone host Rangers in the Scottish Premiership in a preview of their fifth-round encounter on Wednesday; Kick-off at 7.45pm.
Celtic are on the road at Aberdeen at the same time.
