Heart of Midlothian 1-0 Rangers: Steven Gerrard’s side stunned in Scottish Cup
Hearts stunned Rangers for the second time this season to knock them out of the Scottish Cup in a fiery quarter-final at Tynecastle.
Rangers, who were without Alfredo Morelos after he was dropped due to a disciplinary issue, suffered defeat away to the Premiership’s bottom side after also doing so last month.
Oliver Bozanic drove Hearts ahead from a defensive mix-up, and they could have increased their lead in a strong showing that also saw Steven Naismith go close late on.
Hearts, who had a goal disallowed in the first half for an extraordinary Loic Damour handball, will find out their opponents in Sunday’s semi-final draw, and they could be paired with Edinburgh rivals Hibernian after they beat Inverness Caledonian Thistle on Friday.
However, the result came at a cost with defender John Souttar suffering a season-ending Achilles injury after just 16 minutes after falling to the ground off the ball, with Scott Arfield and Ryan Jack forced off early for the visitors.
- Reaction and how it happened
Hearts end Rangers’ cup dreams
Whether it was the arrival of storm Jorge or the fact that there were many empty seats in the home end inside Tynecastle, the atmosphere was very flat in the opening period.
But with Rangers looking lacklustre up front in the absence of Morelos, the benched Jermain Defoe and the cup-tied Florian Kamberi, Hearts twice came close to opening the scoring.
Steven Naismith forced Allan McGregor into a fingertip save with a header from eight yards out, and Damour had a volley blocked from close range.
Referee Steven MacLean was having a difficult night and Rangers midfielder Jack may well have been lucky to only see a yellow after a high challenge on Michael Smith.
But just as the first half was petering out the game burst into action.
As Steven Naismith raced towards the Rangers goal, defender George Edmundson clearly used his left arm to help usher the ball away from danger. However, the incident was missed by the referee.
The controversy continued from the corner when Damour used both hands to flick the ball beyond the visitors defence and into the bottom corner of the goal. MacLean initially awarded the goal but after hails of protests from the Rangers players, changed his mind and gave the visitors a free-kick. But, he elected not to give the Frenchman a second yellow card, and on the half-time whistle Steven Gerard and Naismith argued their points at the mouth of the tunnel.
Early in the second half Damour had a volley deflected wide by the knee of Edmundson as the visitors defence continued to look shaky.
The home side grew in confidence, with the breakthrough coming giftwrapped.
James Tavernier struggled to clear, Lewis Moore chased what looked to be a lost cause, cut the ball back for Bozanic after McGregor had committed himself, and the ball was hammered home from close range.
Rangers pushed forward, leaving gaps at the back. And, after a mistake by Edmundson on the edge of the box, Naismith was given a clear view of goal but the ball sliced off the edge of his boot and wide of the target.
The visitors did have chances with Edmundson twice heading over from around six yards out, but the Hearts defence stood firm to earn their place in the semi-final.
Line-ups
Hearts
Substitutes
Rangers
Substitutes
Match Stats
Live Text
Match ends, Heart of Midlothian 1, Rangers 0.
Full Time
Second Half ends, Heart of Midlothian 1, Rangers 0.
Foul by Steven Naismith (Heart of Midlothian).
James Tavernier (Rangers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Jamie Walker (Heart of Midlothian).
James Tavernier (Rangers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution
Substitution, Heart of Midlothian. Liam Boyce replaces Conor Washington.
Booking
Ryan Kent (Rangers) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Ryan Kent (Rangers).
Sean Clare (Heart of Midlothian) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution
Substitution, Heart of Midlothian. Jamie Walker replaces Lewis Moore.
Foul by Oliver Bozanic (Heart of Midlothian).
Ryan Kent (Rangers) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Ianis Hagi (Rangers).
Clévid Dikamona (Heart of Midlothian) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Hand ball by Steven Naismith (Heart of Midlothian).
Corner, Rangers. Conceded by Clévid Dikamona.
Attempt missed. George Edmundson (Rangers) header from very close range is just a bit too high.
Corner, Rangers. Conceded by Clévid Dikamona.
Booking
Sean Clare (Heart of Midlothian) is shown the yellow card.
Foul by Oliver Bozanic (Heart of Midlothian).
Jermain Defoe (Rangers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Attempt missed. George Edmundson (Rangers) header from the right side of the six yard box is just a bit too high.
Corner, Rangers. Conceded by Clévid Dikamona.
Attempt blocked. Sheyi Ojo (Rangers) left footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked.
Attempt missed. Steven Naismith (Heart of Midlothian) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the right.
Foul by Jermain Defoe (Rangers).
Craig Halkett (Heart of Midlothian) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt saved. Clévid Dikamona (Heart of Midlothian) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
Borna Barisic (Rangers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Sean Clare (Heart of Midlothian).
Ianis Hagi (Rangers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Steven Naismith (Heart of Midlothian).
Attempt blocked. Lewis Moore (Heart of Midlothian) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Substitution
Substitution, Rangers. Jermain Defoe replaces Greg Stewart.
Attempt missed. Ianis Hagi (Rangers) right footed shot from the right side of the box is too high.
Booking
Greg Stewart (Rangers) is shown the yellow card.
Corner, Rangers. Conceded by Zdenek Zlamal.
Attempt saved. Ryan Kent (Rangers) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the right is saved in the bottom right corner.
Substitution
Substitution, Rangers. Ianis Hagi replaces Ryan Jack.
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