Rangers ease into final

Rangers FC will meet Celtic FC in the 117th Scottish Cup final after a 3-0 semi-final victory over Partick Thistle FC on Sunday.

Cup double
The Ibrox side ran out comfortable winners against their Scottish first division opposition to set up an Old Firm final on 4 May at Hampden Park. German international Christian Nerlinger scored twice and captain Barry Ferguson also found the net to keep Rangers on course for a domestic cup double after last week's League Cup victory.

Celtic await
Celtic booked their place in the final on Saturday with a 3-0 win against Ayr United LFC. First division leaders Partick took 10,000 fans to Glasgow, but they had little to cheer about as Rangers assumed control from the start.

Captain courageous
Ferguson - playing with the aid of a pain-killing injection for a rib injury - shot narrowly wide after six minutes, but Rangers did not have long to wait for the breakthrough. Andrei Kanchelskis linked up with Tore André Flo and the Norwegian striker teed up Nerlinger in the ninth minute. Nerlinger gave Kenny Arthur no chance with a left foot shot from 16 metres.

Close call
Partick came close to equalising after 21 minutes when captain Danny Lennon's attempted lob cleared both goalkeeper Stefan Klos and the crossbar. Rangers, though, were the dominant force and both Claudio Caniggia and Neil McCann came close to doubling their side's lead. McCann's inswinging corner on 27 minutes rebounded to safety from the crossbar.

Second start
Nerlinger was showing no signs of fatigue despite playing just his second game since August because of a troublesome ankle injury. The former BV Borussia Dortmund player went close to repeating his goal feat five minutes before half-time, but this time his shot slid wide of the target.

Vital second
Partick were always in with a chance of springing a surprise the longer Rangers played without adding a second goal. John Lambie's side failed to trouble Klos though and as the underdogs tired, Rangers put the tie beyond doubt after 71 minutes. Nerlinger latched on to a cross from Peter Løvenkrands to volley home his second of the game and his fourth goal of a stop-start season.

Game over
Ferguson crowned a good day for the Ibrox side with a goal in the 77th minute. The 24-year-old's sweetly struck shot from 16 metres gave Rangers a routine 3-0 victory and the club will now try to emulate their feat from three seasons ago when they last faced Celtic in a Scottish Cup Final. In May 1999 they defeated their rivals 1-0 thanks to a goal from Rod Wallace.