McInnes Marks First Old Firm with Emphatic 3-0 Rangers Derby Rout

Derek McInnes claimed his first Old Firm victory as Rangers manager in emphatic fashion, guiding his side to an utterly dominant 3-0 triumph over fierce rivals Celtic at a rapturous Ibrox Stadium. The resounding victory booked Rangers a spot in the semi-finals of the Scottish League Cup, condemned Martin O’Neill’s visitors to their first domestic defeat of the season, and laid down an undeniable marker in the campaign’s Glasgow rivalry.

Captain Dan Neil led by example on his Old Firm debut, bagging a glorious double either side of a debut strike from £9.2m Deadline Day signing Kevin Kelsy. Rangers took complete control from the opening exchanges, executing an aggressive tactical plan that left Celtic starved of territory and ideas, sealing a fifth consecutive victory across all competitions for the Ibrox club.

Final Score

Rangers 3-0 Celtic

Competition

Scottish League Cup

Goalscorers

Dan Neil (22'/23', 75'), Kevin Kelsy (59')

Rangers Form

5 Consecutive Wins

Suffocating Man-for-Man Press Stifles Celtic

From the first whistle, McInnes set Rangers up to unsettle Celtic through an aggressive man-for-man press across the pitch. The tactical intensity unsettled O’Neill’s side immediately, denying the visitors any comfortable passages of possession from their defensive third into the midfield.

Celtic struggled desperately to cope with the relentless physical output and sharp closing down from their hosts. Starved of time and space, the visitors rarely threatened the Rangers goal and failed to carve out distinct opportunities throughout the contest. Every loose touch was pounced upon by a blue shirt, turning the contest into a one-sided territorial battle in front of a partisan crowd.

Early Drama and Shaky Goalkeeping

The derby could have tipped heavily in Rangers' favour within the opening moments following an unconvincing start from Celtic goalkeeper Sam Johnstone. The on-loan Wolves shot-stopper, who retained his starting place after making his debut against St Johnstone in midweek, experienced an immediate wobble in the fourth minute.

Attempting to clear danger under pressure, Johnstone delivered a scuffed clearance—described as sclaffed in match reports—straight to Kelsy. With the Celtic keeper stranded well off his line, Rangers should have taken an instant lead, but the young forward snatched at the opportunity and sent his effort wide of the target.

Rangers continued to press hard in the early stages, with both Kelsy and attacker Kim Minsu—also referred to as Kim Min-su—passing up big openings to forge an early breakthrough. Kim had been drafted into McInnes's starting lineup as a direct replacement for Badredine Bouanani, injecting direct pace into the Rangers frontline.

Celtic settled briefly and mustered their lone genuine opening of the afternoon in the 12th minute. Colby Donovan picked out Kasper Hogh with a fine pass, but the Celtic striker slipped as he received the ball. Rangers defender Emmanuel Fernandez intervened to poke the loose ball away, only for it to fall invitingly to Camilo Duran. However, Duran failed to capitalise, sending his drive off target as the ball slipped past Ivor Pandur’s left-hand post.

Captain Dan Neil Breaks the Deadlock

Having survived that solitary scare, Rangers resumed their attacking onslaught and duly found the opening goal midway through the first half. Sources slightly differ on the exact timing of the breakthrough—recorded in the 22nd minute by PA and after 23 minutes by Sky Sports—but the quality of the execution was undisputed.

The move originated from sharp link-up play and clever movement between Rangers' starting front two of Ryan Naderi and Kelsy. Drawing Celtic's defensive line out of position, the forwards created space on the edge of the penalty area for Neil to exploit.

The stand-in skipper, signed from Sunderland in the summer window, showed supreme composure on his derby debut. Neil guided a precise shot into the bottom corner of Johnstone's net from the edge of the box. It marked the midfielder’s first goal in Light Blue and triggered an explosion of blue celebration throughout the four stands of Ibrox.

Kevin Kelsy Doubles the Advantage on Debut

Rangers carried their 1-0 advantage into the interval, having largely dictated the terms of engagement. Rather than sitting back to protect their narrow lead in the second period, McInnes’s charges maintained their forward momentum and doubled their cushion before the hour mark.

In the 59th minute, Kelsy announced his arrival in Glasgow in spectacular fashion. The £9.2m Deadline Day signing had endured a frustrating opening after his fourth-minute miss, but the Venezuela international showcased his penalty-box instincts when his next opportunity presented itself.

Following an attacking delivery into the Celtic penalty area, Naderi produced a vital flick-on at the back post. Kelsy reacted rapidly, meeting the dropping ball with an emphatic volley that flew past Johnstone to register his first goal for his new club and vindicate McInnes's attacking pairing.

Neil Seals the Rout with Top-Corner Finish

Two goals ahead and firmly in control, Rangers gave Celtic no avenue back into the tie. Neil continued to dominate proceedings from the centre of the pitch, combining disciplined defensive tracking with lethal attacking efficiency.

With 15 minutes left to play, Neil put the outcome beyond any shadow of a doubt with another moment of individual brilliance in the 75th minute. Positioned on the edge of the box, the midfielder took aim and dispatched a curling, fine finish directly into the top corner.

The strike secured Neil’s brace, capped a dream Old Firm debut as captain, and turned the final quarter of an hour into a celebratory procession for the home support. Celtic had no response to the midfielder’s commanding display.

Team Changes and Historic Cup Shift

Both managers had reshuffled their starting lineups for the season’s inaugural derby clash. While McInnes made a single change by introducing Kim Minsu for Bouanani, O’Neill made multiple alterations to his Celtic team. Cameron Carter-Vickers, Kieran Tierney, Benjamin Nygren, and Camilo Duran all returned to the starting lineup, alongside goalkeeper Johnstone.

Despite those high-profile inclusions, Celtic looked disjointed and vulnerable against Rangers' high-pressing system. The comprehensive defeat ended Celtic's long-standing dominance in Glasgow cup meetings, marking their first cup tie loss in seven attempts against Rangers.

The result also registered as Celtic’s first domestic defeat of the campaign, shattering their unbeaten domestic record and leaving O’Neill with plenty to ponder ahead of an immediate rematch.

Semi-Final Draw and Immediate Premiership Rematch

Victory sends Rangers into the last four of the Scottish League Cup, where they will face Aberdeen on the weekend of October 31 and November 1. In the other semi-final tie, Edinburgh rivals Hearts and Hibernian have been drawn against one another.

However, neither Glasgow club will have much time to reflect on this League Cup quarter-final. The rivals will lock horns once again next Sunday, meeting in the William Hill Premiership (Scottish Premiership) with the league title race taking centre stage.

Visiting supporters will once again be banned from attending next Sunday's league encounter under the ongoing directives of the authorities. Having racked up five consecutive victories, McInnes and Rangers will travel with immense confidence, while Celtic will look for swift revenge after being completely dismantled at Ibrox.