Celtic 1-2 Rangers (AET): Player ratings as Gers advance to Scottish Cup final

Rangers came from behind to beat their old foes Celtic 2-1 in an exhausting Scottish Cup semi-final that went to extra time on Easter Sunday.

Played in front of a heaving Hampden Park, the second Old Firm derby in the space of 14 days began at a frightening and furious pace. Yet, by the time the plumes of smoke from the prematch flares had cleared, the game settled into a simmering stalemate.

Rangers took the bold approach of man-marking Celtic's midfield from the short goal kicks Ange Postecoglou's side insisted upon, effectively bottlenecking the Bhoys into their own half.

John Lundstram came closest to breaking the deadlock in the closing stages of a first half pockmarked with soft free-kicks, battering the base of Joe Hart's post with a crisply struck left-footed thwack.

With just one change from the starting XI that duked out two enthralling hours of football against Braga on Thursday, errors began to creep into Rangers' game in the second half.

The Gers were caught out by a short free kick in the 64th-minute. Changing the angle to punch the ball into Greg Taylor's feet on the edge of the box, a perfect first touch allowed space for a shot that skidded kindly off Bassey and into the bottom corner against the run of play.

Cameron Carter-Vickers had a golden chance to double Celtic's lead but thumped a close-range effort off the crossbar.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst redressed the balance with a timely introduction of Scott Arfield. Ordering Kemar Roofe away from James Tavernier's low cross, the second-half substitute swept an equaliser right into the corner three minutes after trotting on.

For the second time in the space of four days, Rangers were forced into extra time.

Arfield provided the spark once again, bursting from deep in the second half of extra time to fizz the ball into the box as James Tavernier and then Fashion Sakala were both denied by the woodwork a combination of Hart and Carter-Vickers managed to thwart.

Yet, neither Celtic men could deny their own teammate in the 115th minute. With Sakala lurking in the middle, Carl Starfelt inadvertently turned Bassey's cross past Hart, sending Rangers through to a Scottish Cup final against Hearts.

Celtic vs Rangers player ratings

1. Celtic (4-3-3)

GK: Joe Hart - 6/10 - Liable to clear his lines but largely persisted with the tightrope act of rolling the ball around his own six yard box.

RB: Josip Juranovic - 6/10 - Managed to limit the threat Ryan Kent offered without posing much of his own.

CB: Cameron Carter-Vickers - 8/10 - Twice instrumental in clearing the ball away from his own box after the ball hit the woodwork.

CB: Carl Starfelt - 5/10 - Repeatedly in position to manoeuvre his bulky frame between man and ball, but couldn't sort his feet out facing his own goal at the death.

LB: Greg Taylor - 6/10 - Very much stifled going forward in open play, but delivered a telling blow from a set-piece routine that surely can't have been aimed at a defender with three career goals.

CM: Tom Rogic - 5/10 - Roaming around the pitch with a typically languid stride, Rogic struggled to find space away from a blue shirt.

CM: Callum McGregor - 5/10 - As space in midfield opened up, McGregor's influence over proceedings grew.

CM: Reo Hatate - 6/10 - Dragged a rare sight of goal wide as he only showed flashes of the guile he can bring on the ball.

RW: Liel Abada - 5/10 - Threatening when driving towards goal but invariably passed when the shot was on and went for a goal when a teammate was open.

ST: Daizen Maeda - 6/10 - Scampering in a selfless role at the sharp end, Maeda didn't afford Rangers' centre-backs a breath on the ball.

LW: Jota - 4/10 - In stark contrast to his fellow forward, Jota was selfish on and off the ball, shooting with a scattergun approach and not tracking back.

SUB: Matt O'Riley (58' for Abada) - 6/10 - Immediately barged Calvin Bassey off the ball to provide some thrust that had been missing.

SUB: Kyogo Furuhashi (58' for Rogic) - 5/10 - On his return from injury, the striker didn't drive into the open space ahead of him with much conviction.

SUB: Anthony Ralston (67' for Juranovic) - 4/10 - Despite his fresh legs, the substitute looked leaden-footed against Ryan Kent. Grateful to be moved off that flank for extra time.

SUB: Stephen Welsh (91' for Taylor) - 5/10

SUB: James Forrest (91' for Maeda) - 5/10

SUB: David Turbull (110' for Hatate) - N/A

2. Rangers (4-2-3-1)

GK: Jon McLaughlin - 5/10 - The only alteration to the side that advanced in Europe on Thursday, McLaughlin was skittish with the ball at his feet but commanding against aerial deliveries.

RB: James Tavernier - 6/10 - Unable to cause much damage with his tame and looping set piece deliveries, Tavernier funnelled the ball to Arfield from open play.

CB: Connor Goldson - 6/10 - Despite the incessant hassling of Maeda, Goldson belatedly found his passing range, spraying the ball wide in the build up to Arfield's equaliser.

CB: Calvin Bassey - 8/10 - Bullied Rogic off the pitch. Unfortunate to deflect Taylor's goal past his own keeper but more than made up for it with a lung-busting run to tee up Rangers' late second.

LB: Borna Barisic - 4/10 - Unsettled every time Abada picked up the ball in his vicinity, Barisic couldn't take advantage of the winger's reluctance to track back.

CM: Ryan Jack - 6/10 - Pushing forward from his double pivot, Jack intermittently provided an additional body in the Celtic box.

CM: John Lundstram - 7/10 - Unquestionably the individual most emboldened by the infamous Old Firm atmosphere, Lundstram seemed intent on putting every opponent he tackled in the air with challenges that were fair (and some fouls).

RW: Aaron Ramsey - N/A - Floating vaguely on the right wing, Ramsey was bright in the opening exchanges before injury forced him off in the first half.

AM: Joe Aribo - 6/10 - Disciplined off the ball but struggled to pick his way through the few gaps available to him.

LW: Ryan Kent - 6/10 - Loomed on the fringes of the contest before growing into the game in a mismatch against substitute Ralston.

ST: Kemar Roofe - 5/10 - Generously awarded the assist for Arfield's equaliser, Roofe did his best to just get out of the way.

SUB: Scott Wright (43' for Ramsey) - 5/10 - Struggled to get on the ball after his early arrival.

SUB: Scott Arfield (75' for Aribo) - 7/10 - Took his equaliser superbly with tackles flying in from both sides.

SUB: Steven Davis (75' for Jack) - 5/10

SUB: Glen Kamara (102' for Lundstram) - N/A

SUB: Leon Balogun (109' for Barisic) - N/A

SUB: Fashion Sakala (109' for Roofe) - N/A