Rangers need penalties to reach Scottish FA Cup final

By Kenny MacDonald

GLASGOW (Reuters) - Rangers needed penalties to beat second division St Johnstone in their Scottish FA Cup semi-final on Sunday.

French striker Daniel Cousin slotted the decisive spot kick into the bottom left to end a nerve-shredding shootout at Hampden, which Rangers won 4-3 after the teams had been level at 1-1 after extra time.

Normal time had ended goalless and Saints substitute Daniel McBreen headed the opener in the 94th minute by guiding a six-metre effort back across keeper Neil Alexander following substitute Paul Sheerin's teasing cross from the left.

Rangers spared themselves blushes when Nacho Novo levelled with a penalty into the bottom left-hand corner after Cousin was brought down while trying to turn defender Gary Irvine on 102 minutes.

Novo came close to snatching a winner with a low drive against the right post with two minutes left. However, it finished level and moved to penalties.

The first half was a scrappy affair and Rangers suffered a double injury blow in the opening 20 minutes with Chris Burke and Steven Naismith both carried off on stretchers with ankle and knee injuries respectively.

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