Rangers reach Premier Sports Cup quarter finals

Rangers secure a 4-2 win over Alloa Athletic to advance to the last eight, aided by a late substitute and key VAR decisions.

Rangers reach Premier Sports Cup quarter finals with late winner over Alloa

Rangers beat Alloa Athletic 4-2 to reach the Premier Sports Cup quarter finals, with Nedim Bajrami opening the scoring followed by Emmanuel Fernandez, and James Tavernier converting a penalty after a VAR review. Alloa replied through Joe Rothwell’s own goal and Scott Taggart’s close-range effort, setting up a tense finish before Findlay Curtis bundled in a late fourth for the hosts. The result keeps Rangers on track in a busy spell of fixtures.

Russell Martin mixed his lineup, giving debuts to Mikey Moore and Thelo Aasgaard from the bench and allowing Hamza Igamane minutes ahead of a two-legged clash with Club Brugge. The win marks Martin’s first domestic competitive victory in charge after two league draws, and it leaves Rangers one win away from Hampden ahead of the Brugge tie and a potential £40 million prize on the line.

The match underscored Rangers’ need to balance rotation with consistency. By naming ten changes, Martin looked to protect players for a high-stakes European playoff, while still prioritizing progress in domestic cup competition. The late capitulation by Alloa showed defensive fragility that could trouble Rangers in tighter tests, but the late strike from Curtis also demonstrated depth from the bench. The challenge now shifts to Brugge, where the quality gap will be tested across two legs, and the squad’s ability to sustain performance under pressure will be crucial.

Highlights

The coming weeks will test whether this depth translates into real progress.