The Scottish Gas, Scottish Cup dream for Hearts was ended by Rangers at Hampden, the same team which beat them at the same venue in the semi-final of the Viaplay Cup last November.
Two goals from Cyriel Dessers, the first after only five minutes, did the damage and set up the first Old Firm Scottish Cup Final since 2002.
Dessers fired a left-foot shot under Hearts’ goalkeeper Craig Gordon after being fed by Todd Cantwell to open the scoring and Rangers put pressure on the Edinburgh club in search of a second.
Hearts had chances against a rearguard which has looked vulnerable in recent games and Allan Forrest forced Jack Butland into a good stop and Lawrence Shankland headed into the side netting.
Dessers, Fabio Silva and Dujan Sterling had openings at the other end and Dessers eventually claimed his second after 78 minutes from a deflection following a breakaway. Cantwell was again involved in the build-up.
Silva missed a golden chance for a third and Dessers sent the ball inches wide and, for Hearts, Yutaro Oda, was denied by Butland.
Philippe Clement, Rangers’ manager, (pictured by Ian Jacobs) has already won the Viaplay Cup and told BBC Scotland Sport: “We are in a title chase, we are in a cup final and we are hungry for more trophies.”
Steven Naismith, Hearts’ head coach, said: “We got off to a terrible start but we played a lot of good stuff, created a lot of good chances. It’s decision making that is the biggest thing that cost us.”
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