Queen’s Park Deliver Historic Upset Against Rangers in Shocking Scottish Cup Tie
Queen’s Park Stun Rangers in Historic Ibrox Upset Scottish football witnessed one of its most astonishing cup shocks on Sunday as second-tier Queen’s Park pulled off a stunning 1-0 victory over Rangers at Ibrox, securing a Scottish Cup quarter-final place for the first time in over four decades. Dominance Without Reward For large spells, Rangers controlled possession, dictated the tempo, and carved out numerous opportunities. Yet, their superiority failed to translate into goals. The first half was a story of frustration, with the hosts going closest just before the break—a towering header crashing off the crossbar, a moment that summed up their evening. Queen’s Park, disciplined and resilient, absorbed the pressure, waiting for their opportunity. A Moment That Shook Ibrox That moment arrived in the 69th minute. Substitute Seb Drozd, introduced to add fresh energy, found himself in space at the edge of the box. One touch to steady himself, another to unleash a pinpoint strike. The ball skidded low past the outstretched Rangers keeper, rippling the net and sending the small but boisterous Queen’s Park contingent into raptures. Inside Ibrox, silence. Shock. Disbelief. Last-Minute Drama and a Heroic Save As Rangers pressed desperately for an equaliser, stoppage time delivered a twist worthy of the Scottish Cup. A clumsy challenge on Cyriel Dessers saw the referee point to the spot in the 97th minute. This was it—the chance to force extra time, to avoid humiliation. James Tavernier, Rangers’ captain and typically reliable from the spot, stepped up. Ibrox held its breath. Then, in a moment of pure goalkeeping brilliance, Queen’s Park’s Calum Ferrie flung himself to his left, fingertips pushing the ball around the post. The stadium gasped. The Queen’s Park bench erupted. The underdogs had held firm. Seconds later, the final whistle confirmed the unthinkable. A Defensive Masterclass Ferrie’s penalty heroics were just one part of a goalkeeping performance for the ages. Time and again, he denied Rangers, producing crucial stops from Mohamed Diomande and Václav Cerný, while Queen’s Park’s backline executed a defensive display of discipline and composure. Every block, every clearance, every moment of defiance was another step towards history. Reactions: Despair and Delight For Rangers boss Philippe Clement, the disappointment was clear. “We created more chances than in any game this season, but football is about finishing. We didn’t do that—not even with a penalty in the final minute. The fans are right to be angry. We all are.” On the other side, Queen’s Park manager Callum Davidson beamed with pride. “We had a game plan—to frustrate them, to stay compact, and to take our moment when it came. The boys executed it perfectly. This is what makes the Scottish Cup special.” What This Means for Both Clubs For Rangers, this defeat will sting. Another missed opportunity for silverware, another night of frustration. Their failure to break down a determined opponent and the nerve-shredding penalty miss will prompt serious questions. For Queen’s Park, this was more than just a cup win. It was a moment of history. A reminder of the magic of the competition. A victory that will be spoken about for generations. As the floodlights dimmed at Ibrox, the scenes told their own story—Rangers trudging off, heads bowed, while Queen’s Park’s players and fans embraced a night they will never forget. Because this, after all, is what football is all about.
Late Sidibeh Strike Seals St Johnstone’s Place in Scottish Cup Quarter-Finals
Adama Sidibeh’s late header secured St Johnstone a hard-fought victory over Championship side Hamilton Academical, sending them into the Scottish Cup quarter-finals. With just four minutes remaining, Graham Carey unleashed a speculative 30-yard effort, and Sidibeh reacted quickest to divert a header into the far corner, leaving goalkeeper Dean Lyness helpless. Hamilton, despite arriving on the back of three consecutive defeats, made a bright start. Nikolay Todorov twice threatened to put them ahead, while St Johnstone squandered their own first-half chances—Makenzie Kirk and debutant Jonathan Svedberg both heading straight at Lyness. After the break, Accies substitute Oli Shaw was presented with a golden opportunity but failed to beat home goalkeeper Andy Fisher, much to the frustration of the travelling fans. As the second half wore on, St Johnstone began to take control, but resolute Hamilton defending kept Kirk at bay. Just as extra time loomed, Sidibeh provided the decisive moment, nodding home to seal Saints’ fourth consecutive victory and continue their impressive resurgence. What They Said St Johnstone manager Simo Valakari: “I’m delighted for Adama—he’s been working so hard, and it’s great to see him get his reward. Hamilton stuck to their game plan throughout, but we kept pushing and got what we deserved in the end.” Hamilton Academical manager John Rankin: “It’s a cruel way to lose. We defended well and stuck to our structure, but sometimes the luck doesn’t go your way. Oli had a big moment, but their goal takes a deflection, and that’s the difference. The effort from the players was there—it just didn’t fall for us.”
Livingston Cruise Into Scottish Cup Quarter-Finals with Convincing Win Over Cove
Championship side Livingston booked their place in the Scottish Cup quarter-finals with a 3-0 victory over third-tier Cove Rangers, thanks to goals from Ryan McGowan and substitute Tete Yengi. McGowan opened the scoring from close range, reacting quickest to turn in Reece McAlear’s free-kick for his first goal of the season. Adelaide-born Yengi then took centre stage, twice finding the bottom right corner to take his tally for the campaign to six. Cove, managed by Paul Hartley, were aiming to reach the last eight for the first time in their history, but they will rue missed opportunities. Jerome Prior denied Findlay Marshall with a smart save, while Will Gillingham sent a header narrowly wide. The visitors also came agonisingly close when 11-goal striker Mitch Megginson clipped the outside of the post with a 20-yard effort. Experience was in no short supply across both sides. Livingston’s Stevie May has twice lifted the Scottish Cup with St Johnstone, while defensive duo McGowan and Danny Wilson have previously triumphed with Hearts and Rangers. Cove, meanwhile, had cup-winning pedigree in Hartley, who tasted success with Hearts and Celtic, and captain Fraser Fyvie, a Scottish Cup winner with Hibernian after earlier lifting the FA Cup with Wigan. Fyvie had one of Cove’s best openings, but his strike was straight at Prior after a well-worked corner routine. At the other end, Cove’s goalkeeper Nick Suman produced an outstanding stop to deny Dan Finlayson’s powerful header, but he could do little about Yengi’s ruthless finishing. The striker’s first came from Wilson’s knockdown, while Lewis Smith set him up for his second to seal the win. What They Said Livingston manager David Martindale: “Three goals and a clean sheet is maybe a bit harsh on Cove, who had their chances. We deserved to go through, but 3-0 flatters us a little. The lads showed great energy and intensity after a tough eight days—I’ve given them Monday off, they’ve earned it.” Cove Rangers manager Paul Hartley: “We created some excellent chances but just weren’t clinical enough. The boys gave it everything, and I can’t fault the effort. Of course, we’re disappointed to be out, but I was pleased with the performance. Now our focus shifts to the league—we’ve got 14 games to make something happen.”
Maeda Hits Milestone as Celtic Cruise into Scottish Cup Quarter-Finals
Daizen Maeda reached a landmark 50 goals for Celtic with a stunning hat-trick, propelling the reigning champions into the Scottish Cup quarter-finals with a dominant 5-0 victory over Raith Rovers. Brendan Rodgers made sweeping changes to his starting XI, introducing nine fresh faces, but there was no disruption to Celtic’s momentum as they stretched their unbeaten home streak to 32 matches—just one shy of Gordon Strachan’s 2007 record. Luke McCowan and Yang Hyun-Jun added second-half goals to put Celtic firmly in control before Maeda capped off his treble with a late finish, courtesy of a pinpoint McCowan assist. The Japanese forward had already netted twice before the break, extinguishing any hopes Raith had of an upset. With 21 goals this season and six in his last three outings, Maeda is proving to be a prolific force in attack—stepping up impressively in the absence of compatriot Kyogo Furuhashi. Raith might have faced an even steeper challenge had Callum McGregor’s early strike not rattled the junction of the post and bar. Maeda also saw a first-half effort ruled out for offside after converting Anthony Ralston’s cross. With a massive Champions League clash against Bayern Munich looming on Wednesday, Rodgers rested key players, including Alistair Johnston, Cameron Carter-Vickers, and Auston Trusty. Kasper Schmeichel also sat out, allowing Viljami Sinisalo to make his debut between the posts. Despite the changes, Celtic maintained their relentless form, having now netted 14 times in their last three matches and 110 across the season. It was a ruthless lesson for Barry Robson’s Raith, who had hoped to reach the break trailing by just a single goal before Maeda’s late first-half strike left them with a mountain to climb. Celtic can now turn their attention to welcoming Harry Kane and Bayern Munich, though they’ll have to do so without Maeda, who is suspended for the first leg. What They Said Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers: “Games like this can be tricky if the attitude isn’t right, no matter how much talent you have. Huge credit to the players for their work rate and performance from the first whistle.” Raith Rovers manager Barry Robson: “The boys gave everything—they left nothing out there. I can’t ask for more than that. What they will take away is the experience of facing truly top-class players.”