Rangers Scottish League Cup campaign ended at Hampden as Celtic struck twice in extra time to secure a 3–1 victory, ending a semi-final that turned on a red card, missed chances and a late surge that ultimately fell short.
Danny Röhl’s side played more than 80 minutes with ten men after Thelo Aasgaard was sent off in the first half yet still forced extra time through James Tavernier’s composed penalty.
But Celtic found the extra moment of quality when it mattered, with help from once-again questionable officiating.
The game began with both sides feeling each other out, and Thelo Aasgaard came closest early for Rangers, his 11th-minute strike forcing Kasper Schmeichel into a save from distance.
Rangers looked compact and prepared to spring, but Celtic began to find space down the flanks behind Rangers wing backs.
At the other end, Jack Butland had to react sharply on 17 minutes, beating away Sebastien Tounekti’s close-range effort.
Celtic thought they had taken the lead moments later when a Nasser Djiga clearance ricocheted off Nico Raskin and into his own net, but VAR intervened and concluded Daizen Maeda was offside in the build-up and the goal was ruled out.
However, the reprieve didn’t last.
From the resulting pressure, Celtic took the lead on 25 minutes. Arne Engels swung in a corner to the near post, and Johnny Kenny rose to glance a header past Butland.
Two minutes later, Butland prevented the game from getting away from Rangers, diving sharply to stop Kenny scoring his second.
Rangers’ evening became significantly harder just before the interval. Aasgaard, stretching to bring down a bouncing ball, caught Tony Ralston high.
Nick Walsh had no hesitation and produced a straight red card, a decision that changed the dynamic entirely.
Celtic defender Austin Trusty was allowed to continue despite a clear kick out to the face of Butland late in the half – once again consistency was missing from the officials and Celtic received a break in this fixture – as they did when Maeda was not booked despite persistent fouls reaching into the double figures throughout the contest.
Röhl responded at half-time, introducing Djeidi Gassama for Danilo to regain pace in transition.
Rangers defended with organisation and intent, Butland keeping them alive on 64 minutes with a double save as Celtic pressed to kill the tie.
The German head coach then turned to Mikey Moore and Bojan Miovski shortly after, replacing the once again ineffective Yousef Chermiti and Mohamed Diomande to increase sharpness in the final third.
Their persistence drew reward with nine minutes to play.
Gassama’s driven strike towards the bottom corner was blocked by Ralston’s outstretched hand and the penalty was eventually given, but no second yellow issued, a decision that will spark debate yet again going in the Hoops favour.
Tavernier stepped up under pressure and delivered, drilling low to Schmeichel’s right. The Dane guessed correctly, but the placement was perfect.
With momentum suddenly theirs, Rangers pushed into extra time.
Yet within two minutes of the restart, Celtic regained the lead.
Callum McGregor was given room on the edge of the box and struck low; the ball squeezed under Butland and in. It was the sort of moment Rangers had protected well all night, the absence of Aasgaard’s usual pressure line showed.
Still, Rangers created two huge chances to level again.
First, Gassama broke clear but hesitated to shoot, trying to square and failing to find a teammate.
Minutes later, Miovski rounded Schmeichel, but the angle closed before he could turn the ball goalward.
The decisive blow came on 109 minutes.
Extra-time substitute Joe Rothwell lost the ball in midfield, Celtic surged, and Kieran Tierney’s driven cross was turned in by Callum Osmand from close range. That was the moment the tie slipped beyond reach.
Rangers fought, organised, endured and forced this game into a contest it arguably had no right to be after the dismissal.
The mentality was there. The structure held. The chances came but ultimately the lack of cutting edge once again proved costly.
The difference in the end was clinical execution in both boxes: the very detail both Tavernier and Röhl both highlighted post-match.
Rangers are out of the cup. The steps forward remain. The next test arrives on Thursday as Roma visit Ibrox in the UEFA Europa League.