Rangers 3-0 Celtic: Derek McInnes wins first Old Firm of season as hosts reach Scottish League Cup semi-finals

Derek McInnes won his first Old Firm game as Rangers manager with an utterly dominant 3-0 victory over rivals Celtic to advance to the last four of the Scottish League Cup.

Captain Dan Neil notched a double and £9.2m Deadline Day signing Kevin Kelsy was also on the scoresheet on his Old Firm debut at a rapturous Ibrox Stadium - without the presence of away supporters.

Visitors Celtic struggled to cope with Rangers' aggressive man-for-man press - failing to create any distinct opportunities as they lost a first cup tie in seven against their Glasgow rivals.

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Kelsy and Minsu Kim both passed up big early opportunities before Neil eventually fired McInnes's side in front after 23 minutes.

The stand-in skipper calmly slotted the ball into the bottom corner with precision from the edge of the area following some great movement and link-up play involving the Rangers' front two of Ryan Naderi and Kelsy.

The Venezuela international then got his first goal for his new club in the second period as he volleyed in Naderi's flick-on at the back post.

Neil completed the scoring with 15 minutes to play as he dispatched the ball into the top corner from the edge of the box to score his second of the afternoon.

Rangers will now face Aberdeen in the semi-finals on the weekend of October 31/November 1, with Hearts drawn against Hibernian.

Key moments from Ibrox

4: RANGERS SHOULD BE IN FRONT! Johnstone tries to clear the ball but sends it straight to Kelsy. With the keeper off his line, he takes aim but it's wide of the post.

16: OFF THE LINE! Another mistake from Johnstone. The goalkeeper slaps the ball to clear, it goes as far as Minsu. He gets a shot away but Scales is there to clear it off the line.

23: RANGERS GOAL! The hosts take the lead and it's what they deserve. Carter-Vickers fails to clear the danger and Kelsy sends the ball to Neil on the edge of the box to fire into the net.

49: SAVE! A big stop from Johnstone! Rangers with the first chance of the second half, Minsu's effort is pushed clear by the Hoops keeper.

50: SAVE! Rangers go close again. Naderi's close-range header is stopped by Johnstone.

59: RANGERS GOAL! Rangers double their lead as Ibrox bursts back into life. Kelsy makes up for his first-half miss and he smashes Penrice's cross into the net for his first Rangers goal.

64: OFFSIDE GOAL! Raskin got the last touch as Fernandez looked to head in from Penrice. Celtic are all over the place.

72: OVER! Celtic get forward only for Hassan to send his effort over the bar.

76: RANGERS GOAL! Wow! The captain Neil with his second of the afternoon. A curling effort into the top corner and Rangers are all but through to that semi-final draw.

McInnes' perfect game plan

Sky Sports News' Adam Binnie at Ibrox:

Derek McInnes got his game plan spot on.

He used left-back James Penrice as an auxiliary midfielder to flood the middle of the pitch - allowing Rangers to press Celtic man-for-man.

Djeidi Gassama and Minsu Kim provided width and energy as wing-backs with Dujon Sterling, Emmanuel Fernandez and Olwethu Makhanya defending three-vs-three against Celtic's front line.

It was a bold decision that paid dividends as Celtic folded under the pressure.

Dan Neil snatched the starring role of midfield general from his Celtic counterpart Callum McGregor, who was left isolated without a defensive-minded midfield partner.

McInnes's side now must face the daunting task of a trip to the home of their rivals with no travelling support next Sunday - live on Sky Sports in the Scottish Premiership.

Win that, and the gap is just two points.

What the managers said...

Rangers boss Derek McInnes:

"Delighted with the performance of so many today, I don't think we had a failure and that's what it takes to win; that's a good reference for us going forward.

"Obviously we've got to take the good for the game and the feel-good factor and obviously look forward to the semi-final when it comes round, but equally we've got to get ready for the next one.

"The game demanded our full attention today; it demanded a big performance and I'm delighted that we've managed to deliver that.

"You see the strength of the club today, both off the pitch and on the pitch, and I think it does my players no harm at all.

"For the ones who have been here, they'll understand what it means to so many people, but for the ones who are just in the building, it's a good reference for them and good to see what this result means to so many people."

Celtic manager Martin O'Neill:

"We were well beaten in the end. The first half we didn't capitalise with a couple of really decent chances when we'd broken their press.

"On the day, just second best. It could be. I think there has to be a realisation of how big this game is.

"It's so important to the fans. It's so important to everybody. Still one of the great fixtures in European football, if not the world and we've got to know that. That's the point.

"We'll have to try and learn from it. We play next Sunday. We've got a midweek game.

"Hopefully it's a wake-up call to look at myself for a start. Then I look at the team. We were second best.

"Did Rangers surprise me? No. I think they're strong. I think they're physically strong. So it'll be a big test for us next Sunday again in every aspect."

What's coming up...

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