Rangers v Celtic was a shame game in every sense - awful on the pitch and appalling off it

This was a shame game in every sense. Awful on the pitch, utterly appalling off it. It was a broken crossbar away from mirroring the mayhem following Hibs’ Scottish Cup win over Rangers in 2016 although the flares fired back and forth were an extra, utterly indefensible ingredient.

We can safely wave goodbye to the idea that a larger away fan allocation for this fixture might become a permanent arrangement again. Tomas Cvancara’s nerveless winning penalty in the shootout triggered a surge of fans at the front of the Broomloan Road Stand, where over 7,000 Celtic fans had been allowed to congregate for the first time since 2018.

Some exuberance was natural—after all, this had been the smash-and-grab to end all smash-and-grabs. Celtic reached the last four of the Scottish Cup without managing a shot on target in 120 minutes. Not even extra time could separate these two very average teams. When penalty expert James Tavernier hit the bar for Rangers with the first kick, there was a sense the tie was drifting further away from the hosts. Rangers enjoyed so much possession yet lacked cutting edge. Danny Rohl has done so much good work since arriving at Ibrox but this latest failure to best a wily 74-year-old in the shape of Martin O’Neill means he can expect recriminations from within the Rangers support.

Still, such unhappiness was not an excuse for fans to start pouring onto the pitch from the Copland Road Stand after Cvancara's successful conversion caused Celtic supporters to encroach from the other end. It didn’t excuse the mindless goading of each other, and it certainly was no defence for the pyrotechnics shot out from both sections of fans and the physical assaults. One member of the Celtic coaching team was seen grappling with a Rangers supporter. There was also footage of Celtic fans forcing open doors in the disabled section of the Broomloan Stand before kick-off. It was a febrile atmosphere from the off. The emotion seemed to weigh heavily on the players. It almost appeared to leave them enervated.

Perhaps it was just too much to ask for these two teams to raise themselves just seven days after a dramatic league match, particularly with Celtic having secured a hard-earned win in Aberdeen in between times. This was one reason why Rangers fans felt failure here was not to be borne. This perhaps helps explain why they seemed so affronted by the sight of celebrating Celtic supporters at the end.

In a way, Rangers beat themselves

Celtic were surely leggier, drained psychologically as well as physically ahead of this, their fourth away game in succession. Added to that was the fact they were missing their skipper and talisman Callum McGregor, sidelined due to an injury that had been kept under wraps in the run up to this tie. Kieran Tierney was also absent with a foot injury.

O’Neill’s farewell to Ibrox seemed set to end in disappointment. Little that happened on the pitch in the first half encouraged anyone to revise this opinion. However, as the tie progressed and Rangers proved more toothless, the notion that Celtic might prevail seemed less ridiculous. In a way, Rangers beat themselves. They certainly harmed themselves by failing to convert two of their four penalties. As well as the unfortunate Tavernier, fellow substitute Djeidi Gassama blazed over. Celtic converted all four of theirs despite initial cheers from the Rangers fans upon learning Tavernier had won the toss to select the end at which to take them. No home comfort was forthcoming in front of the Copland Road Stand.

Rohl dismissed any suggestion that his players lack the bottle for the big occasion. After throwing away a two-goal lead against the same opponents seven days earlier to gain only a point, they were left with absolutely nothing from the re-match where they were even more dominant. It’s Celtic’s first success over Rangers in the Scottish Cup at Ibrox since the 1950s.

“Mentality, mentality, guys…” Rohl replied to a question about whether Rangers lacked winners in the team. “This word should not be the topic today. I see in 120 minutes just one team who deserves to win. It's not about mentality.”

Luke McCowan, McGregor’s replacement, was the sole Scot in the two starting XIs. Let that sink in. Almost as depressing as the offensive and very brazen singing about the Pope before kick-off. It wasn’t the most uplifting way to herald the 56th Scottish Cup clash between the teams. However, nobody could have imagined the return to the bad old days at the end.

And let no one claim Scotland is also immune to the scourge of simulation that has reared its head again south of the Border. Auston Trusty went down like the proverbial sack of tatties in the second half after a tap from Youssef Chermiti as the Rangers striker sought to retrieve the ball to restart play. Chermiti’s eagerness to get on with things told its own story. Rangers were on top and desperate to avoid the lottery of penalties, rightly so as it turned out.

Both sides had one goal ruled out each. Although the visitors were punch-less in the extreme for the most part, they did score a well-worked goal in the first half. McCowan’s cross was flicked on by Liam Scales and then headed in by the diving Daizen Maeda. A VAR review proved Scales, who wore the armband and was deployed at left back, had not got back onside quickly enough following a cleared corner.

Rangers were also frustrated when Manny Fernandez’s header was ruled out in extra time for handball. Three sides of Ibrox had exploded after the defender had finally appeared to break the deadlock. The deflation when the decision was confirmed was palpable. The home fans clearly feared this was not going to end well. An afternoon they will want to forget will be raked over for a long time yet.