Michael Beale believes Rangers deserved their League Cup Final spot as he delivered a 'must not stop' message to his players.
The Light Blues will return to Hampden next month to face Old Firm rivals Celtic after an extra-time win over Aberdeen. Bojan Miovski opened the scoring in a moment Borna Barisic will want to forget as he looked to have stopped for an offside against the Dons striker but he wasn't involved in the play and Matty Kennedy ran from deep to gain yards on the defence before delivering a ball for his team-mate to turn home. Ryan Jack's deflected effort levelled things before Kemar Roofe struck the winner in extra-time.
Beale and his troops will go away happy with the result and get ready for the final next month but he has warned they will need to learn from that first half moment lapse with a second warning in the second period. He has also delivered an update on matchwinner Roofe, who was forced off after a heavy fall on his shoulder.
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Speaking post-match on Viaplay Sport, he said: "Obviously when you go one-nil behind in the semi-final, your team gets a little bit anxious. We asked them not to at half-time and keep believing in the way that we play.
"Overall in the game we were the more dominant team but fair play to Aberdeen. Jim [Goodwin]has put together a good squad and it is the best Aberdeen team I have seen in a while in the two games in terms of football and really going for you.
"It was a good semi-final for the neutral. I am just delighted to win. I have been here before and come on the wrong end of a tough result so I am taking that today. We will go away happy and get ready for the final next month.
"They came for us from the first minute. We started the game really well. That decision where we stop when it is offside when it is not because Matty Kennedy runs from deep, he is onside. We must not stop. There was a moment in the second-half as well. We need to learn from that. Overall we played a lot of good stuff and had the biggest chances."
On Roofe, he added: “Delighted we had Kemar available to go on the pitch but we’re disappointed he’s had to come off injured. That’s what he can give you – he’s a match winner.
“We won’t know until we a scan tomorrow so it’s a pretty heavy landing on his shoulder – its not a dislocation so we have to hope for the best. With Antonio [Colak] being out and Kemar just coming back we can’t catch a break at the moment."
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