Gers hit Jackpot after all!
RANGERS manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst lifted his first trophy as Ibrox chief – then vowed to get his hands on more silverware next season.
He watched his side beat Hearts in extra-time at Hampden yesterday to end the season on a high.
Van Bronckhorst’s men bounced back from their Europa League Final penalty shoot-out defeat by Eintracht Frankfurt in Seville on Wednesday night , to see off the Jambos thanks to goals from substitutes Ryan Jack and Scott Wright.
“This means a lot. It’s always good to win prizes,” said Van Bronckhorst. For the players, it’s a reward for the months of hard work.
“I’m also so happy with the performance. In extratime we looked strong again, and we could feel the game going our way.
“I’m really proud to end the season with a trophy.
“Now we will rest – and then in five weeks start over again to try and win more prizes.”
He added: “There was so much desire in the players and no tiredness.
“It’s been a demanding week for us. We had the build-up to the Europa League Final in difficult circumstances.
“Mentally the loss in Seville was big because we were beaten on penalties. But I told the players today that this was a chance to win something.”
Twelve years, 11 months and 21 days – that’s how long Rangers fans had waited to win the Scottish Cup again. So what’s another 120 minutes?
It still seemed almost cruel that Van Bronckhorst and his players should put them through extra-time again. There was a very different outcome here to the misery in Spain, but it was hard going again. Too many times Rangers fired in crosses that begged to be put away, only to find no cutting edge again.
They almost clinched it in injury-time after the 90 – Joe Aribo got free in the box but Craig Gordon pulled off an unbelievable save with his left foot.
Extra-time again, and Rangers badly needed someone to step up to the plate. Four minutes into it Jack proved to be the man.
He collected a loose ball 20 yards out, and took a touch before leathering it past Gordon via the underside of the bar.
Brave Hearts were on their knees and, before they could recover, they were two-down.
Ryan Kent drove forward and fed Wright, who drilled a low shot into the corner and the job was done.