'You need to': Rangers defender insists Celtic gap is closing and reveals how Gers can end Old Firm heartache

Rangers defender Robin Propper believes the fact Celtic needed a penalty shootout to defeat the Gers in the Premier Sports Cup final proves they are closing the gap on their Old Firm rivals despite suffering a familiar gut-wrenching defeat.

Despite Celtic holding an 11-point lead over their Glasgow neighbours in the league, things were far tighter at Hampden Park, with the sides could only able to be separated on penalties after playing out a pulsating 3-3 draw at Hampden Park, where Rangers came from behind twice.

Five perfect penalties, coupled with Kasper Schmeichel’s shootout save from Ridvan Yilmaz, meant the trophy headed to Celtic Park on Sunday night, but Propper insists that Rangers side proved the difference between the sides is getting smaller.

“It’s hard to take, obviously,” said Propper. “We had some chances, came back after we went down, came back again. We showed some character today. Celtic had some troubles with us. We did really good today. In the end, you hope you have that luck to win the game and in the end, it’s not happened. So hopefully next time.

Rangers left-back Ridvan Yilmaz is consoled by his teammates after missing the crucial penalty in the shootout defeat to Celtic. Cr: SNS Group. | SNS Group

“We did well in moments of the game. The gaffer said we showed character. The fans were with us. It was a game with everything in it. Of course, you want to be on the right side of the game. But it was not today for us.”

Nedim Bajrami had put Rangers on course to retain their Premier Sports Cup trophy title in the first-half, but quick fire strikes in the second 45 from Greg Taylor and Dazien Maeda put Celtic back into the lead in Mount Florida. Mohamed Diomande’s close range strike dragged Rangers back into the game with 15 minutes to go, before Nicolas Kuhn looked to have won it when he blasted home for the Hoops with just three minutes to go.

The drama was not done though, and when a pinpoint cross from Vaclav Cerny was headed home by Danilo just seconds later, the game headed into extra-time and, eventually, penalties. As tight as the final was, the defeat now extends Rangers winless run against Celtic to seven games and the Dutch centre-back revealed what he thinks it will take for the pendulum to swing towards Ibrox over the coming weeks and months.

Rangers' Danilo celebrates after scoring to make it 3-3 during the Premier Sports Cup Final. Cr: SNS Group. | SNS Group

“It’s small moments”, reflected Propper. “In the second-half, we had a moment where we went four against one. There are small moments to win the game. You need to take these moments, we did very well. They had trouble with us, we were good on the counter attack, compact - we had a good plan today. It was an amazing game, only you want to have the medal and the cup.

“In defence, we had three goals against us, that is too much in a game against Celtic. It is small moments to win these games, and in the end it is penalties - an unlucky one.

“The last couple of weeks, we’ve improved. We’ve won our matches, you see today as well, we are not that far behind in the game. We scored three goals, had some chances. We feel that we are closer.”