2008 Scottish Cup Final

The 2008 Scottish Cup Final was a football match which took place at Hampden Park in Glasgow on 24 May 2008. [cite web |title=Scottish Cup Fixtures |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_cups/scottish_cup_fix/default.stm |accessdate=2008-04-25 |publisher=BBC Sport] The match was the final of the 123rd Scottish Cup and was contested by Queen of the South and Rangers. Queen of the South beat Aberdeen 4–3 [cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_cups/7341879.stm|title=Queen of the South 4-3 Aberdeen|date=2008-04-12|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-05-28] in their semi-final, Rangers beat St. Johnstone 4–3 on penalties after the match had ended 1–1 after extra time. [cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/scot_cups/7353598.stm|title=St Johnstone 1-1 Rangers|date=2008-04-20|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-05-28]

The holders were Celtic who had beaten Dunfermline Athletic 1–0 in the 2007 final, [cite news|url=http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_cups/6684941.stm|title=Dunfermline 0-1 Celtic|date=2007-05-26|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-05-24] but they were knocked out by Aberdeen at the quarter final stage. [cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_cups/7301203.stm|title=Celtic 0-1 Aberdeen |publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-05-24]

First Division Queen of the South were contesting a Scottish Cup final for the first time in their history. [cite news|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2008/SPORT/football/04/12/scotland.cup/index.html?eref=rss_latest|title=Queen of the South reach Scottish final|date=2008-04-12|publisher=CNN|accessdate=2008-08-30] This was Rangers' 51st appearance in the final, winning 31 times and losing 18, with one final (1909) resulting in the cup being withheld. [ [http://football.guardian.co.uk/theknowledge/story/0,,2038307,00.html Why no one won the Scottish Cup in 1909] , The Guardian] It was Rangers' third cup final of the season, having won in the League Cup Final [cite news|url=http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_cups/7296157.stm|title=Dundee Utd 2-2 Rangers|date=2008-03-16|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-08-30] and lost in the UEFA Cup Final [cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/7393752.stm|title=Zenit St Petersburg 2-0 Rangers |date=2008-05-14|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-08-30] .

Team news

Queen of the South started with the same team which had beaten Aberdeen in the semi-final with Stephen Dobbie and Sean O'Connor up-front as part of a 4-4-2 formation. The midfield was comprised of Paul Burns, Neil MacFarlane, Steve Tosh and Jamie McQuilken. The defence was made up of Ryan McCann, Jim Thomson, Andy Aitken and Robert Harris. Jamie MacDonald started in goal. Sean O'Connor was the only player not from Scotland in the team. The only player to drop out of the squad from the semi final victory was former Rangers youth Brian Gilmour, with Scott Robertson taking his place on the bench.

Rangers also used a 4-4-2 formation, making four changes from the side who were beaten 2–0 in Aberdeen, with Kris Boyd and Jean-Claude Darcheville up-front. Rangers were without Nacho Novo who was suspended and without Chris Burke and Steven Naismith who were both injured, DaMarcus Beasley had recently returned from injury and was a surprise inclusion and started in midfield with Kevin Thomson, Barry Ferguson and Lee McCulloch. Steven Whittaker, Carlos Cuéllar, David Weir and Saša Papac made up the defence. Neil Alexander was making only his 12th start in goal for rangers. Carlos Cuéllar, Saša Papac, DaMarcus Beasley and Jean-Claude Darcheville were the non-scots to start, meaning that 17 out of the 22 players that started the match were from Scotland, this was 5 more than the previous year.

Match summary

Queen of the South were the more dangerous team in the early stages, with problems being caused by Stephen Dobbie and Sean O'Connor. Rangers best chance came when Boyd passed to Beasley in a good position but his shot went into the side-netting, minutes later and the roles were reversed when Boyd met a Beasley cross eight yards with his head, he could only nod overalthough should have done better. Tosh gave away a free kick for a foul on Beasley 25 yards out, Barry Ferguson passed to Boyd who hit the ball into the top left corner, Rangers were 1–0 after 33 minutes. Queen of the South felt they should have had a penalty when Steven Whittaker blocked the path of Sean O'Connor but the referee did not agree. Rangers doubled their lead three minutes before half time when Carlos Cuellar's header was missed by Jim Thomson and Ryan McCann who collided which allowed Cuellar's header to reach the back post to fall for Beasley, whose shot from 12 yards went under goalkeeper Jamie MacDonald.

Both teams started the second half unchanged, with Queen of the South hoping rather than expecting to score. just four minutes after the restart, O'Connor slipped clear of Cuellar in the box then cut the ball back for Tosh to score using his pelvis, and Queens were back in the match. Rangers briefly threatened to restore their advantage, but a Boyd header was held by MacDonald before Queens broke, they were given an opportunity when Papac fouled McCann 10 yards from goal, Thomson rose to head home from the Bob Harris free-kick, after 53 minutes the sides were tied at 2–2. Rangers could have restored their lead when Jean-Claude Darcheville passed to Beasley and he then passed to the feet of Ferguson but the skipper shot straight at the keeper. Boyd was the hero again after he rose highest from Beasley's corner to head the ball over the keeper and into the net, Queens never seemed likely after that despite making three changes and so boyd was the hero for the second cup final in the season.

Match details

footballbox
date = May 24 2008
time = 15:00
team1 = Queen of the South
score = 2 – 3
report = [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_cups/7416622.stm Report]
team2 = Rangers
goals1 = Tosh goal|50
Thomson goal|52
goals2 = Boyd goal|33 goal|71
Beasley goal|43
stadium = Hampden Park, Glasgow
referee = S Dougal
attendance = 48,821

cottish Cup record

* John Fleck became the youngest player to play in a Scottish Cup final - 16 years, 274 days - after coming on as a substitute in the 85th minute. [cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_cups/7418513.stm|title=Scottish Cup final as it happened|date=2008-05-24|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-05-24 (1644)]

Media coverage

The 2008 Scottish Cup Final between Rangers and Queen of the South was broadcast live in Scotland on BBC One Scotland and in the rest of the UK on Sky Sports Xtra, BBC One Scotland also broadcast highlights later on in the night at 23:35 BST.

In North America it was broadcast live on pay-per-view Setanta Premium. In Kenya it was shown live on G Sports 1. In the Czech Republic it was shown live on Sport 1. In Italy it was shown live on Sky Sport 1 and Sky Super Calcio. In Russia it was broadcast live on 7tv. In Bosnia it was shown live on OBN BiH.

The final was also broadcast live on radio by BBC Radio Scotland, BBC Radio nan Gàidheal and BBC Radio 5 Live.

References