RANGERS are through to the last 16 of the SSE Scottish Women’s Cup despite playing for 35 minutes against Aberdeen with only 10 players and a 15-year-old defender in goal. They won 2-1 after extra time at New Tinto Park.
Holders Hibernian and last year’s runners-up Glasgow City breezed through their ties – as did Celtic at East Fife.
Rangers took the lead midway through the first half with a clever lob from captain Clare Gemmell, but Aberdeen levelled just before half-time with a well-struck shot from Chloe Fitzpatrick.
The momentum seemed to swing in Aberdeen’s direction five minutes from the end of regulation time. Rangers goalkeeper Joanna Viollaz, making her debut, was shown a straight red after rushing out of her box to bring down Megan Reid.
With No 1 keeper Jordan Elliott unavailable, substitute defender Jenna Clark went between the posts.
Aberdeen should have taken the lead early in the first period of extra-time. Cheryl Anderson hit the post and Deirdre O’Riordan sent the rebound wide. Almost immediately Rangers forced a corner at the other end and from it Gemmell headed home what turned out to be the winner.
“Losing our goalkeeper was really difficult, but it’s testament to Jenna, who is only 15, that she put her hand up and volunteered to go in goals,” Rangers head coach Amy McDonald said.
“It was a definite sending off. If you make a decision to go, you have to make sure you win the ball in that position. We needed that second goal because we didn’t want it to go to penalties with Jenna in goals.”
It was a bad outcome for Aberdeen, especially as Rangers had been involved in a tough midweek game against Celtic and seemed less suited to the extra period of play.
In the other all-SWPL1 tie, Glasgow City beat Spartans 5-0 at Ainslie Park.
Elsewhere, Hibs made short work of Motherwell, who are second in SWPL2, crushing the home side 11-0 with Lia Tweedie scoring four.
A hat-trick from former Hibs striker Sarah Ewens was the highlight for Celtic as they won 6-0 at East Fife.
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