Revved-up Rangers buried their pain in Spain and ended a 13-year wait for Scottish Cup glory with an extra time defeat of Hearts at Hampden.
After a first goalless final since 1990, Ryan Jack and Scott Wright netted in extra time to ensure the Ibrox side don’t end a lung-busting campaign empty-handed, reports the Daily Record.
It was a case of out of the Seville frying pan and into the fire of a Hampden final.
But after digging deep once again Gio van Bronckhorst’s side found extra spark to get the job done.
Allan McGregor was even brought off the bench with two minutes left of extra time in as clear a signal as there’s been that the veteran goalkeeper is about to bring his career to an end.
John Souttar was in for his first Hearts start in two months - but also his last before making a summer switch to Ibrox. Not that there was any doubt over the defender’s loyalties as he put in a commanding display, positionally perfect and with a series of crucial blocks.
But it was Rangers - who made five changes to their Europa League Final line-up - who left with the silverware.
Hearts opened brightly, as may have been expected after Rangers Euro exertions. Ellis Simms was the target as they looked to use his muscle and get Liam Boyce feeding off his knock downs.
But it was Everton loanee Simms himself who should have opened the scoring after 10 minutes when Nathaniel Atkinson played in Boyce on the right of the box and his low ball to the back post was just too far ahead of Simms who could only knock against the base of the post and wide.
At the other end a long diagonal from Connor Goldson caught out Alex Cochrane and Amad Diallo’s superb first touch deserved more but his cut back was snuffed out.
Scott Arfield had an effort blocked as Rangers upped the tempo and Hearts were forced to defend their box desperately for a spell.
Craig Halkett had hearts in mouths with an overzealous back pass that Craig Gordon had to control with his HEAD. Hearts half cleared only for Arfield to have a shot easily held by the keeper.
With Simms and Boyce linking well Hearts are never out of a game though and when the former dragged Leon Balogun out of position, Barrie McKay popped the ball into the hole for Boyce but the Northern Irishman’s shot was blocked.
But the Ibrox side had taken control and were looking to get in behind the Hearts wide men at every opportunity. Steven Davis set Joe Aribo free on the left after 34 minutes and only a superbly timed Souttar block denied the Nigerian inside the box.
Calvin Bassey then got forward to cross for Aribo but his glancing header flashed past the far post.
Bassey, fresh from a powerhouse performance in Seville and back in at left back, was in full flight less than three days later and another teasing cross should have been buried by Diallo but the Manchester United loanee headed over when he should have bulged the net.
It was the last action of a goalless first half.
Diallo might not have had as many minutes as he’d have liked since moving on loan in January but he was seeing plenty of the ball here and a wonderful lofted pass over Atkinson freed Ryan Kent after 57 minutes but Gordon was out smartly to smother at the winger’s feet. It was Diallo’s last action as he was replaced by Scott Wright on the hour mark.
The game was on a knife edge but it was Rangers creating all the openings. Bassey, who else, cut inside and worked the ball onto his right foot to draw a good save from Gordon after 71 minutes.
Hearts still hadn’t registered a shot on target and their case wasn’t helped when top scorer Boyce went off after 75 minutes. The striker had only lasted 12 minutes of the dress rehearsal a week earlier and looked short of fitness.
There was no such worries for Souttar despite his lack of game time. The defender was flying into everything and another braveheart block stopped a fizzing John Lundstram drive in its tracks with five minutes to go.
But there was a huge moment of controversy in the first minute of injury time when Wright slipped in Aribo whose shirt was tugged by Atkinson before his shot was brilliantly turned round the post by the boot of Gordon. Rangers were screaming for a spot kick but Willie Collum wasn’t interested.
Wright then clipped the top of the bar with a header from a Tavernier free kick. But extra time it was to be.
Another Bassey cross was headed over by Aribo from six yards as the Jambos’ goal continued to live a charmed life.
But the resistance was finally broken after 93 minutes when sub Ryan Jack took the roof off the Rangers end.
Tavernier’s corner was headed clear by Craig Halkett but Jack brought it under control 20 yards out and sent a ferocious drive past Gordon before the keeper could even blink.
Two minutes later and it was game over as Scott Wright doubled the lead. Hearts ere caught on the break and Ryan Kent burst forward before slipping in the overlapping Wright who drilled low across Gordon.
Sub Fashion Sakala drew another good save from Gordon as he broke in the second period of extra time. But the game was long gone by then.
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