Scottish League Cup
RangersRangers0MotherwellMotherwell2

Rangers 0-2 Motherwell

By Roddie McVakeBBC Scotland at Hampden Park
Louis Moult scores for Motherwell against Rangers
Louis Moult was lethal in front of goal to send his side into the Scottish League Cup final

A clinical double from Louis Moult sent Motherwell into the Scottish League Cup final at the expense of Rangers.

Moult pounced to volley home seven minutes into the second half following a scramble in the Gers' six-yard box.

The striker then lifted a sublime first-time lob over goalkeeper Jak Alnwick 22 minutes later to double his side's advantage.

The Steelmen will meet cup holders Celtic on 26 November.

It will be the club's first national cup final since the Scottish Cup showpiece of 2011, and their first League Cup final since 2005.

Sitting fourth in the Scottish Premiership, Motherwell are just a point and a place below Rangers and both had identical form guides from their last six matches before Sunday's showdown.

The men in blue started the sharper, with Josh Windass firing tamely at keeper Trevor Carson when clean through before Alfredo Morelos dragged an effort wide after Well defender Cedric Kipre badly misjudged a high ball.

Louis Moult
Moult brilliantly cushioned his chip over Jak Alnwick from the edge of the Rangers box

Colombian striker Morelos then went down under a challenge from Charles Dunne when he looked to be racing clear, but referee Steven McLean was not interested.

Rangers were knocking on the door and Morelos and Windass had shots blocked before Bruno Alves powered a near-post header just wide from Declan John's free-kick.

The Steelmen then enjoyed a period of pressure that Rangers were lucky to survive.

First, Moult's effort from distance took a deflection that had Alnwick scampering as it squirmed wide.

From the resulting corner, Kipre seemed set to slam home from six yards out, but his half-volley was brilliantly blocked on the line by Ryan Jack, with Alnwick then reacting superbly to snuff out the danger from the rebound.

John had the last chance of the half, and it was one of the clearest, but his diving header from six yards slipped wide of Carson's left-hand post.

The second 45 started with Rangers dominant, as Morelos, Pena and Windass all missed chances, and the Ibrox side were made to pay for their profligacy.

The opener arrived from Chris Cadden's corner to the back post, with Peter Hartley's initial header striking the bar. Moult nodded the rebound off the bar again via Jack's touch before it fell to the Well striker once more and he smashed it into the roof of the net.

Motherwell were now brimming with energy and showing the type of high pressing that has served them so well recently.

Rangers came back, though, with Windass inches away from connecting with John's delivery into the six-yard box. Daniel Candeias then blasted high over the bar at the end of a fine Rangers move as the frustrated fans in blue tried to drive their side towards parity.

Those supporters were soon dealt another blow as Stephen Robinson's side broke upfield and scored a second.

Moult was quickest to react to a launch forward, sumptuously lobbing the ball over Alnwick from the edge of the box and into the corner.

Stephen Robinson of Motherwell and Rangers' Pedro Caixinha
Stephen Robinson and Pedro Caixinha faced off on the touchline after Ryan Bowman's heavy aerial challenge left blood pouring from the face of Fabio Cardoso

By then, both managers had been sent to the stand following a touchline spat, Pedro Caixinha furious when referee McLean took no action against Ryan Bowman after a challenge which forced Rangers centre-back Fabio Cardoso to depart with a bloodied face.

That added to the frustration and loss of fluidity in the Rangers side, whose passing deserted them when they needed it most.

With five minutes left, the prone Alves kicked out at Moult on the floor after the pair collided in mid-air, but the Portuguese escaped any censure, with only Moult and Rangers substitute Eduardo Herrera being booked for the aftermath.

Rangers could find no way through and it was Motherwell who looked more likely to add to their tally in the closing stages.

Two goals proved enough, though. It was a day to savour for Well boss Robinson, his players and their fans, who will be back at Hampden next month to take aim at holders Celtic.

Line-ups

Rangers

Formation 4-4-1-1

  • 25Alnwick
  • 2Tavernier
  • 4CardosoSubstituted forMcCrorieat 67'minutes
  • 22Bruno Alves
  • 3John
  • 21Candeias
  • 8Jack
  • 10Dorrans
  • 11WindassSubstituted forHerreraat 75'minutesBooked at 87mins
  • 27PeñaSubstituted forNemaneat 60'minutes
  • 20MorelosBooked at 58mins

Substitutes

  • 1Foderingham
  • 7Dálcio
  • 15Herrera
  • 17Hodson
  • 23Holt
  • 28Nemane
  • 40McCrorie

Motherwell

Formation 3-5-2

  • 1Carson
  • 21Kipre
  • 6HartleyBooked at 26mins
  • 18Dunne
  • 7CaddenBooked at 90mins
  • 22CampbellSubstituted forBigirimanaat 72'minutes
  • 8McHugh
  • 15Rose
  • 2Tait
  • 12BowmanBooked at 7minsSubstituted forFisherat 90'minutes
  • 9MoultBooked at 87mins

Substitutes

  • 3Hammell
  • 4Grimshaw
  • 5Bigirimana
  • 11Frear
  • 13Griffiths
  • 17Fisher
  • 27Tanner
Referee:
Steven McLean
Attendance:
44,506

Match Stats

Home TeamRangersAway TeamMotherwell
Possession
Home44%
Away56%
Shots
Home14
Away14
Shots on Target
Home5
Away5
Corners
Home4
Away9
Fouls
Home8
Away12

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, Rangers 0, Motherwell 2.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, Rangers 0, Motherwell 2.

  3. Booking

    Chris Cadden (Motherwell) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

  4. Post update

    Ross McCrorie (Rangers) wins a free kick on the right wing.

  5. Post update

    Foul by Chris Cadden (Motherwell).

  6. Post update

    Foul by Louis Moult (Motherwell).

  7. Post update

    Bruno Alves (Rangers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

  8. Post update

    Cedric Kipre (Motherwell) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

  9. Post update

    Foul by Eduardo Herrera (Rangers).

  10. Substitution

    Substitution, Motherwell. Alex Fisher replaces Ryan Bowman.

  11. Booking

    Eduardo Herrera (Rangers) is shown the yellow card.

  12. Booking

    Louis Moult (Motherwell) is shown the yellow card.

  13. Post update

    Attempt saved. Alfredo Morelos (Rangers) header from very close range is saved in the centre of the goal.

  14. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Chris Cadden (Motherwell) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.

  15. Post update

    Corner, Motherwell. Conceded by Ross McCrorie.

  16. Post update

    Attempt missed. Ryan Bowman (Motherwell) right footed shot from the centre of the box is too high.

  17. Post update

    Corner, Rangers. Conceded by Richard Tait.

  18. Post update

    Corner, Motherwell. Conceded by Graham Dorrans.

  19. Post update

    Attempt missed. Louis Moult (Motherwell) right footed shot from more than 35 yards is too high.

  20. Substitution

    Substitution, Rangers. Eduardo Herrera replaces Josh Windass.

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Scores, Results & Fixtures

Sunday 22nd October 2017

As It Stood

A

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Falkirk44001311212
2Inverness CT42115328
3Stirling42116517
4Brechin401319-82
5Forfar4013310-71

B

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Dunfermline42201331010
2Peterhead43017619
3Hearts42117437
4East Fife411236-34
5Elgin4004213-110

C

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Dundee Utd4310102811
2Dundee431082610
3Raith Rovers42029546
4Cowdenbeath4103511-63
5Buckie Thistle4004315-120

D

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Hibernian43101311210
2Ross County422080810
3Arbroath412167-16
4Montrose4103215-133
5Alloa401328-61

E

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Ayr44001531212
2Kilmarnock43019369
3Clyde4202711-46
4Annan Athletic4013210-82
5Dumbarton401328-61

F

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Motherwell44001221012
2Morton42118628
3Queen's Park42119907
4Edinburgh City4013312-92
5Berwick401347-31

G

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Hamilton422011659
2Albion413012937
3Queen of Sth41306427
4East Kilbride411259-45
5Stenhousemuir401339-62

H

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Livingston431083511
2Partick Thistle431092710
3St Mirren42029726
4Airdrieonians4103410-63
5Stranraer4004412-80
View full Scottish League Cup tables