Dundee went down to a 3-0 defeat in the Scottish Cup quarter final against Rangers at the Kilmac Stadium this afternoon. Connor Goldson gave Rangers an early lead and a highly controversial James Tavernier penalty made it 2-0 midway through the first half. Dundee were second best throughout and Rangers cruised to victory in the second half with Fashion Sakala adding a late third.
Rangers took charge from the kick-off and the Dark Blues found it impossible to get into the game. Harrison Sharp did well to keep a wildly sliced clearance from Cammy Kerr going out for a corner. Strangely referee Steven McLean decided that was a passback and awarded Rangers an indirect free kick in a dangerous position to the right of goal. Cammy Kerr cleared when the kick was taken.
Dundee had to contain Rangers’ opening charge, but conceded a poor goal from a corner after nine minutes. Fil Helander was not picked up at a corner. Lee Ashcroft pulled off an amazing clearance from the header, hooking the ball off the goalline onto the crossbar, but Connor GOLDSON battered the rebound home.
The pressure on the Dee goal was relentless and Alfredo Morelos went close from 18 yards after a Glen Kamara lay off. Harrison Sharp had to be in fine form in goal, and he saved well from Aaron Ramsey’s low shot.
Dundee struggled to force Rangers’ goalkeeper Jon McLaughlin into action, but the Dark Blues did go close with Lee Ashcroft’s header from a Niall McGinn free kick.
The referee’s decision to award Rangers an indirect free kick in the penalty area may have been surprising that was nothing compared to the controversial penalty award that gave the visitors a second goal after 25 minutes.
James TAVERNIER ran into Ryan Sweeney in the penalty area, fell over, and picked himself up to score from the penalty that he was charitably given.
It might have been an unjust decision, but the scoreline accurately reflected Rangers’ dominance.
Dundee only put together one fluent attack in the first half. Max Anderson and Paul McMullan combined well to give Cammy Kerr the chance to cross. Anderson’s shot was blocked for a corner.
That was only a brief respite from Rangers’ constant attacking. Morelos twice failed to take advantage of dangerous crosses from Tavernier. He mishit the first and headed too high from the second.
A bad afternoon for the Dee got worse shortly late in the first half when Lee Ashcroft went down clutching his hamstring. Vontae Daley-Campbell replaced him, playing at right back, with Cammy Kerr moving to centre back where he was joined by Jordan McGhee dropping back from midfield.
The first half was hard going for the Dark Blues, and the second half brought no more joy.
Five minutes after the restart Danny Mullen had a volley deflected wide after good play on the right by Paul McMullan. That was the end of Dundee’s attacking threat. From then on the Dee were forced to defend with Rangers pushing for a third goal.
Harrison Sharp did well to stand up to the onslaught, making fine saves from substitutes Fashion Sakala twice and from Kemar Roofe. Ryan Sweeney kept the score down with two clearamce off the line. Sweeney did slip up when he lost possession to Roofe. Sakala should have scored from the resulting cross, but he skied his shot deep into the Bobby Cox Stand.
After 87 minutes Rangers finally scored the goal that seemed inevitable. Substitute Alex Lowry ran through the middle and set up SAKALA to score with a low shot across Sharp.
Rangers were hot favourites to win this Scottish Cup quarter final tie, but the ease with which they brushed the Dee aside was disappointing. At no stage were the Dark Blues in contention and the outcome was never in doubt after Rangers scored their second goal.
The only positive for the Dee was Harrison Sharp’s performance in goal. The young keeper could not be blamed for any of the goals and did well to keep the score down. Apart from being knocked out of the cup the injury to Lee Ashcroft was an additional disappointment which put the lid on an unhappy afternoon for Dundee. The Dark Blues must now focus on the league, and the next match will see the return of Rangers to the Kilmac Stadium next Sunday. It will not be easy.
Dundee FC 4-2-3-1
Sharp
Kerr, Ashcroft (Daley-Campbell 43), Sweeney, Marshall (McDaid 77)
McGhee (c), McGowan
McMullan (Byrne 60), Anderson, McGinn (McCowan 60)
Mullen
Unused subs: Lawlor (gk), Fontaine, Chapman, Mulligan, Elliott, Robertson, Ibsen Rossi.
Booked: Mullen (treading on penalty spot before the second goal), Kerr (foul on Sands), Sweeney (foul on Diallo).
Rangers
McLaughlin
Tavernier (c), Goldson, Helander, Bassey
Jack (Lowry 85), Kamara (Sakala at half time), Sands
Ramsey (McCann 79), Morelos (Roofe at half time), Kent (Diallo 67)
Unused subs: McGregor (gk), Balogun, Zukowski, Barisic, King, Wright.
Goals: Goldson (9), Tavernier (pen 25), Sakala (87).
Booked: Bassey (foul on Kerr).
Attendance: 5,536.
Referee: Steven McLean. Assistants: Alan Mulvanny, Andy Milne. Fourth Official: Don Robertson.
Report: James Christie.
