Dessers double for Rangers sees of Hearts - reaction

1. Dessers turns sharply and skids in early opener & adds second late on
2. Forrest & Kent denied equaliser by Butland
3. Rangers will play Celtic in final on May 25

Brian McLauchlin

BBC Scotland at Hampden

The atmosphere inside this stadium is quite incredible.

Feels more like a final than a semi!

🚨 Five-minute warning

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Stat fest favours Rangers

Kheredine Idessane

BBC Scotland at Hampden

You could throw out a load of stats around this game, and most of them would point to a Rangers win.

They've not lost to Hearts since the end of February 2020. Interestingly, that was a Scottish Cup tie.

Hearts have also failed to win any of the last dozen matches with Rangers, scoring only five goals in the process.

Philippe Clement's record against the Gorgie side is formidable, playing four, winning four, scoring 11 and conceding just two.

And the big one: Hearts have never beaten Rangers at Hampden. Their last win in Glasgow in a cup competition over the Ibrox side saw them lift the Scottish Cup at Celtic Park in 1998.

Hearts have, however, been in three of the last five Scottish Cup finals. They fancy their chances of making it four in six, while Rangers are looking to bounce back to form after their recent dip.

Tale of the tape

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Goldson dropped for form or freshness?

Tom English

BBC Scotland's chief sports writer on Sportsound

Just listening to Philippe Clement explaining Connor Goldson's absence from the starting line-up as a freshness issue.

Are we all buying that?

Sure, Goldson has played in 48 of Rangers' 52 games this season, but most lately, he's looked really vulnerable. Is that tiredness or is just him being targeted and exposed?

Six goals conceded in their last three games tells its own story. There's no way Clement is going to say that the demotion of one of his most senior, previously undroppable, players is a form issue, but it has to be the reason.

But Goldson is not the only one whose levels have dropped under pressure.

Today is huge for their hopes of winning the Scottish Cup but it's also huge in trying to regain confidence for the run-in in the league. If they lose this - which would make it two wins in nine - you can give up on them in the Premiership

Scottish Cup final classics

Prior to kick-off, we've been looking back on some previous cup final goals between these two.

You know the score, click play to watch.

Rangers v Hearts: Scottish Cup final classics

The routes to Hampden

Watch how Rangers booked their last-four spot

Fourth round:

• Spartans 1-2 Hearts
• Dumbarton 1-4 Rangers

Last 16:

• Rangers 2-0 Ayr Utd
• Airdrieonians 1-4 Hearts

Quarter-finals:

• Hibernian 0-2 Rangers
• Morton 0-1 Hearts

Watch best of Hearts' last-eight win at Morton

'Fantastic chance for Hearts'

Kenny Miller

Former Rangers striker on BBC Sportsound

Games are won and lost in big moments.

Yesterday, Aberdeen took their moments and pushed Celtic all the way.

Hearts will have to do that, but so will Rangers. Hearts are the third best team in the country, it's a fantastic chance for them.

'We come here with confidence' - Naismith

Hearts head coach Steven Naismith says his side are out to make up for the "hurt" of losing the League Cup semi-final to Rangers earlier in the season.

"All season we've progressed, got better and learned from our mistakes," he tells BBC Scotland. "We've prepared like we have for any other game.

"For me, it's about who has the calmness in the big moments. Both teams will have attacks.

"We come here with loads of confidence, we've had a good season. We hurt after the last semi-final, what better than to get through the next one.

"[Mohamed] Diomande coming back in suggests he's not been happy with the players in the middle of the park.

"We've built confidence over the season, I'm hoping we have that calmness. There are a few who are unlucky to miss out, I think our bench will play a part.

On Lawrence Shankland, he adds: "He's a threat in the box and he's a leader. I'm surprised we only had one in the team of the year."

Asked whether today is the day Hearts beat Rangers for the first time ever at Hampden, Naismith simply says: "Hopefully".

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Rangers fans, what do you make of the decision to leave Connor Goldson out?

Hit that 'thumbs up' button if you agree, if you disagree click 'thumbs down'.

Pick of the stats

• Hearts have never beaten Rangers at Hampden, though did prevail over the Govan side in the 1998 Scottish Cup final at Celtic Park.
• Rangers last won the Scottish Cup in 2022, beating Hearts in the final in extra time, ending a 13-year wait to lift the trophy.
• Kenneth Vargas has scored in all three of Hearts' previous rounds in this year's Scottish Cup, making him the club's top scorer in the competition (three goals).
• James Tavernier has scored in both Rangers' visits to Hampden this season, the first coming from the spot against Hearts in the League Cup semi-final before scoring the winner in the final against Aberdeen.

Clement planned to leave Goldson out on Wednesday

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Rangers manager Philippe Clement has been explaining his changes to BBC Scotland.

"Connor [Goldson] played a lot of games the last couple of months, a lot of minutes, did a lot of really good things - that's why we were the best defence in the league - but he was also lacking some freshness.

"I had this plan on Wednesday but then Leon became sick last minute. There is not one player in the world who plays all the time at the same level.

"[Mohamed Diomande] has been already really influential in the short period he's been with us. He had a bad injury against Celtic, but he's feeling fit again.

"If we would have won against Ross County and won the Dundee game - both times it was possible if we'd shown more quality - then it's another story.

"Kemar [Roofe] has been injured a lot. It's not possible for him to play 90 minutes because of the lack of rhythm. It's a logical thing to start with Cyriel [Dessers] today. Last couple of weeks, fewer goals, but that's the life of a striker."

'Intriguing contest awaits'

Brian McLauchlin

BBC Scotland at Hampden

After yesterday's incredible match at the national stadium, Rangers and Hearts will have to go some way to come close to matching the events of 24 hours ago.

And with about 20,000 fans having made the trip through from Edinburgh to support their team, the Hearts decision to try and ensure a 50/50 split inside Hampden looks to have paid dividends.

Rangers fans on the other hand may be anxious after disappointing results in Dingwall and Dundee.

But Hearts will have to improve on recent meetings against Rangers, having failed to win in their last 17 attempts against the Glasgow side.

An intriguing contest awaits.

Another Hampden meeting

These two have already met at Hampden this season.

It was in the League Cup semis in November and Rangers eased through with a 3-1 win.

The last time they met in the Scottish Cup? The 2022 final. Rangers won that one in extra time.

You can remind yourself of that one by smashing the play button below.

Watch the key moments of Rangers' win over Hearts

Bring the noise

We can expect another packed Hampden today, although it will be more of a 50/50 split this time.

The Hearts end will be made up of almost 20,000 screaming Jambos, with Rangers taking just over that figure to the national stadium.

Reckon it'll be loud.

About yesterday...

I'd a dream last night Celtic and Aberdeen drew 3-3, Aberdeen scored two last-minute equalisers, Joe Hart took a penalty in the shootout, missed it, then saved the winning one.

Turns out that actually happened yesterday.

Click play to watch seven minutes of the wildest Scottish Cup semi I can remember.

Highlights: Aberdeen 3-3 Celtic (Celtic win 6-5 on penalties)

Listen live on Sportsound

BBC Radio Scotland

Build-up from Hampden is under way on BBC Radio Scotland.

The Sportsound gang will also provide live match commentary from the national stadium.

Listen on BBC Sounds or click play at the top of this page.

Hearts make three changes

Three Hearts switches following their comeback win against Livingston last weekend.

Stephen Kingsley replaces Alex Cochrane at left-back, while Alan Forrest and Kenneth Vargas come into the attack.

Barrie McKay and Yutaro Oda are the two forwards who drop to the bench as Craig Gordon continues in goal.

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Alex Cochrane has been replaced by Stephen Kingsley

Goldson dropped for Rangers

Four changes for Rangers and one of them jumps off the page.

Connor Goldson has been dropped and will be replaced at centre-back by Leon Balogun.

Elsewhere, Mohamed Diomande returns in midfield, as do attacking duo Rabbi Matondo and Cyriel Dessers.

Tom Lawrence, Fabio Silva and Kemar Roofe drop to the bench. No Ridvan Yilmaz in the squad again.

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Connor Goldson (left) has been dropped to the Rangers bench

LINE-UPS from Hampden

Rangers XI: Butland, Tavernier, Souttar, Balogun, Sterling, Lundstram, Diomande, Cantwell, Matondo, Sima, Dessers.

Substitutes: McCrorie, Goldson, Silva, Lawrence, Dowell, Roofe, Barisic, Raskin, McCausland.

Hearts XI: Gordon, Atkinson, Kent, Rowles, Kingsley, Grant, Devlin, Baningime, Forrest, Shankland, Vargas.

Substitutes: Clark, Oda, McKay, Cochrane, Denholm, Tait, Fraser, Tagawa, Lembikisa.