Rangers 2
Dundee Utd 0
League (SPL)

Match Report

Darren Dods and Danny Grainger took the places of Lee Wilkie and Paul Dixon after United's exhausting semi-final defeat by Celtic on penalties on Wednesday. United had also suffered a blow on Friday, with lively midfielder Willo Flood being transferred to Celtic.

United looked the more sprightly in the early stages, and Rangers goalkeeper Allan McGregor held well after Flood's replacement, David Robertson, burst into the box to meet a long throw-in and stab the ball towards goal from 14 yards. Rangers began to threaten and a run from Nacho Novo set up Kris Boyd, but his strike partner curled the ball wide of the post from the edge of the box. Zaluska produced a fine finger-tip save to deny Fleck and, from the corner, David Weir was too slow to pounce on the loose ball eight yards from goal. Novo was replaced due to injury shortly before half time, with Kenny Miller taking his place.

United were the first to threaten after the break; Warren Feeney's low, driven cross was missed by both Weir's attempted clearance and Robertson's late lunge to poke the ball home from seven yards. The visitors were stifling their hosts in midfield, though a hitch-kick by Boyd and a scuffed effort from Whittaker failed to trouble the United goalkeeper. Boyd was replaced with Kyle Lafferty and there was a close call for United when the Northern Ireland international fired past Zaluska only to be ruled offside. John Fleck scored moments later, taking the penalty he won after a nudge in the back by Mihael Kovacevic as the forward thrust into the United box after 78 minutes. Kovacevic had the chance to redeem himself for conceding the penalty only to head over from 10 yards following a corner. In the final minute, Kyle Lafferty took advantage of United pushing for an equaliser to stroke the ball home from 20 yards.