Rangers will continue to straddle two stadia as perpetual punch bag gets hero's ovation in Ibrox triumph

Cyriel Dessers scored twice and James Tavernier converted a penalty as the hosts took care of Dundee by a three-goal margin at Ibrox, just as they did on their last appearance at this stadium. It has been a long and sometimes traumatic 130 days of exile in between times.

Rangers will, though, return willingly to the national stadium in November for a League Cup semi-final. 

Some healing seemed to have occurred here. A decent attendance of 33,665, including around 1,000 from Dundee, saw Ibrox resume life as a football stadium. The vendors returned to Edmiston Drive and the locals bars welcomed back regulars. A statue of Walter Smith, unveiled in May, was finally consecrated as fans gathered to admire it on a match day for the first time, with flowers left at the legendary manager’s feet.  

Another notably emotive moment arrived just after the hour mark, with Rangers already 2-0 up. With the hosts looking to kill the game off Tavernier hurried over to take a corner between the main stand and Copland Road Stand. The last time he was in that area of the stadium he was targeted by a thuggish fan on the pavement outside Ibrox after Rangers' return to HQ following the comprehensive defeat to Celtic earlier this month. This time he was applauded by the supporters, who clearly agree the abuse meted out to the skipper has been beyond the pale. 

Philippe Clement made a point of replacing Tavernier with Neraysho Kasanwirjo with eight minutes left to let him feel the love again. The manager also enveloped the skipper in a hug. “It is normal,” Clement said, when asked about this afterwards. “He played a good game. He deserved that. Maybe after the Celtic game we have a few individuals crossing a certain line. That’s not good.

“But this is the life of being a captain at a big club – you are the symbol in the good days and it’s nice, like today. In the difficult days you are also the one everyone looks at.”  

It might have been different had a slack pass from Tavernier been punished by Scott Tiffoney. Albeit, with the hosts already 3-0 up, even this would not have threatened to spoil this homecoming.

Goalkeeper Jack Butland did pull off a miraculous double save at point blank range from Simon Murray near the start of the second half although, in truth, it could have been an even more handsome victory were it not for some wild finishing from Rangers.

They had already doubled their lead by the time of Butland’s heroics through Tavernier’s first goal of the season from the spot while Dessers was looking like his usual self - dangerous and erratic. He opened the scoring after 17 minutes in opportunistic style when diverting in a drive from Tavernier that was heading well wide. His second goal was straight out of the No 9 finishing handbook, just as the cross in for him was of the textbook variety. Nedim Bajrami, who supplied it, enjoyed an effective full debut.  

Dessers will always have his critics but the way he steered the ball first time beyond goalkeeper Trevor Carson, who enjoyed a fine game, strengthened the impression of a player in form. That’s now seven goals in his last eight games.

His second of the game came shortly after Dundee had missed another opportunity to cut the deficit to just one when substitute Seb Palmer-Houlden headed over from the edge of the six-yard box.     

Rangers had lost just once in 18 previous League Cup meetings against Dundee, so such a fixture seemed a welcome way to mark a return to their spiritual home. The thought of losing on their turf to Dundee, who hadn’t won here since 2001 in any competition, was not to be borne.

It rarely looked likely although the visitors, trailing by just one, remained in the tie at half-time. That quickly changed after the interval when Mo Sylla was penalised for pulling down Dessers in the box at a corner. Tavernier lashed the penalty home.

Rangers had previously been wasteful and they were guilty of this afterwards as well. Dessers ought to have had a first half double, possibly even a hat-trick. Carson saved one effort with his feet after the striker was released by a clever through ball from Bajrami and the ‘keeper tipped another effort over. The Dundee 'keeper was as busy, if not busier, in the second half.