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Rangers vs Aberdeen. Premier Sports Cup Final.

3:00pm, Sunday 17th December 2023.

Hampden ParkAttendance49,296.

Aberdeen 0

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Rangers 1-0 Aberdeen: James Tavernier fires Ibrox side to Scottish League Cup glory

Match report as Rangers beat Aberdeen 1-0 to win the Viaplay Cup final; James Tavernier's second-half strike was the difference at Hampden Park; the Ibrox side last won the trophy in 2011

Alison Conroy

Digital Sports Journalist @AlisonGConroy

Sunday 17 December 2023 20:17, UK

James Tavernier was Rangers' Hampden hero as he fired them to their first Scottish League Cup triumph in over a decade.

The Ibrox captain's second-half strike was enough to secure cup final glory in a scrappy match at the national stadium.

Wet and blustery conditions saw both sides struggle to produce much quality as both passed up opportunities to take the lead.

Ross McCausland and Cyriel Dessers came close for Philippe Clement's men while Ester Solker should have done better for the Dons at 0-0.

Rangers' win sees the Viaplay Cup return to Ibrox for the first time since 2011 as Clement secures a trophy at the first attempt.

How Clement secured his first Rangers trophy

It was a frantic start as John Lundstram clattered into a challenge on Jamie McGrath early on before Stefan Gartenmann brought down Abdallah Sima just outside the Aberdeen box.

The resulting free-kick fell to Dujon Sterling, but McGrath was there to divert the ball over the bar.

With the rain swirling around Hampden Park the game lacked real quality with both sides failing to create any real chances in the first half-hour.

Sima then picked up the ball on the edge of the box, turned and fired towards the Dons goal only for Kelle Roos to comfortably save.

Borna Barisic then sent in a cross but Ross McCausland headed wide of the target as Rangers tried to break the deadlock.

At the other end, Gartenmann got his head to a corner but he too put it past the post.

Rangers began to look more threatening and McCausland volleyed in before the break, but referee Don Robertson had already blown for a foul on Nicky Devlin in the build-up with Leon Balogun then sending another chance wide.

Aberdeen then had a glimmer of hope at the other end but Gartenmann could not connect with the ball.

Barry Robson's side passed up a brilliant chance to take the lead after the break. Devlin sent in a brilliant cross to Ester Solker who somehow failed to make contact.

It was then Roos to the rescue as he tipped McCausland's effort behind for a corner before saving Dessers' powerful close-range strike.

The Aberdeen keeper then saved James Tavernier's free-kick before pushing another past the post.

With Rangers continuing to press, Balogun should have done better when the ball fell to him in the box but he sent his effort high over the bar.

They did finally take advantage in the 77th minute as Tavernier slammed in off the post from Barisic's cross as the Rangers support erupted.

Tensions were high as Aberdeen tried to find a way back in the closing stages and a brawl broke out in the Dons net as Jack Butland gathered.

Bookings were handed out but there was no time for a response as Rangers secured their first trophy since the Scottish Cup in 2021.

Clement delight at 'growing' team but warns against complacency

Rangers manager Philippe Clement:

"I see the path the team has taken in the last nine weeks, everyone sees a team that is growing.

"It isn't easy after a historic win on Thursday [vs Real Betis] to have the same focus as they had today so that was a main thing for me also and they did a brilliant job today.

"Aberdeen is a really hard team to beat, it's a team that's really structured and love to defend.

"In the end, we deserve this victory very clearly.

"It gives a really positive confidence, but in football it's about confirmation.

"You can have a lot of confidence then you start running next to your shoes then you come into trouble.

"It's on me to keep everybody with their feet on the ground.

"This evening they can enjoy it, then tomorrow I will be the strict one again."

Robson frustrated at failure to deliver title for Dons fans

Aberdeen manager Barry Robson:

"I thought it was a tight game. The two teams brought a lot of emotion to the game.

"It's been a while since we won the cup and a while Rangers won the cup.

"I think in the first half our structure was pretty good and that transition that we are normally good at, they were scared of.

"We had the chance to do that two or three times and I thought we could have cut them open.

"In the second half we tried to have a go with our subs making positive impacts. We tried to go and win the game and we just fell short.

"I don't know where people get this thing - that's Rangers we were playing. They are a good side. They've just beaten Real Betis in Spain, you've got to remember that.

"They are a really good team with a really good manager. We've come down here and we know that. We don't expect Aberdeen to come down here and run the whole game. That's a proper team we were playing against.

"We had a go and I'm just frustrated for the fans that we couldn't give them the win."