So BT Sport got it really wrong when they advertised the Scottish League Cup semi-finals with Celtic and Rangers names in font four times the size of Motherwell and Hibs. The TV company have apologised for the misjudgement but will Pedro Caixinha apologise to the Rangers fans for failing to reach the final? A Louis Moult brace sent Motherwell into the Scottish League Cup final as Caixinha and opposite number Stephen Robinson were sent to the stand during a bad-tempered semifinal. Moult scrambled home from a 52nd-minute corner and produced a stunning first-time lob to seal a 2-0 win and a return trip to Hampden to face Celtic on 26 November. Both managers were ordered off by referee Steven McLean after clashing on the touchline after the already-booked Motherwell striker Ryan Bowman caught Fabio Cardoso with an elbow (that broke Cardoso's nose) in an incident which went unpunished by the referee. Robinson spent his time in the stand relaying messages to assistant Keith Lasley while Caixinha must have been contemplating what the future holds after declaring in midweek that his team had only two options - to "win or win''. Motherwell already scored 18 goals in the competition as well as winning six of their previous eight games while Caixinha is still searching for a third consecutive win as Rangers manager. His decision to omit Kenny Miller from his squad again looked questionable as Rangers toiled in front of goal.
Louis Moult (c) Jane Barlow/PA Wire/PA Images Both sides went direct in the opening quarter and Rangers had more joy, but Dean Windass hurried a weak shot straight at Trevor Carson and Alfredo Morelos shot wide from 16 yards. There was an aggression from the start of the game. Bowman was booked for catching Cardoso with his arm before Morelos remonstrated with Robinson after going down theatrically following a clash with Peter Hartley. Charles Dunne got away with a knee-high tackle which stopped Morelos racing through and Hartley was booked for going right through the back of the striker moments after being barged off the park by the Colombian. Moult picked himself up off the deck after being floored by Cardoso's flailing arm (and sustaining a cut eye) before curling a 25-yard effort just wide off the Portuguese defender. Motherwell threatened from Chris Cadden's corner but Ryan Jack blocked Cedric Kipre's effort on the line. |
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