Naderi sends Rangers into League Cup final as McInnes calls for improvement

Rangers reached the League Cup final with a 1-0 victory over Aberdeen at Hampden Park, but manager Derek McInnes said his team still needed to improve their performances. Ryan Naderi scored the only goal in the 83rd minute, extending Rangers' unbeaten run to 11 matches, according to BBC Sport Scotland's report. Hearts or Hibernian will provide the opposition in December's final.

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The result moved McInnes within one win of his first major trophy as Rangers manager. His team controlled much of the semi-final, recording 74% possession and 25 attempts on goal, yet had to wait until the closing stages for Naderi to finish from close range. Aberdeen's resistance kept the match undecided despite Rangers' sustained advantage in possession.

Speaking to BBC Scotland after the game, McInnes welcomed the achievement of reaching the final while questioning the quality of his side's decision-making. He highlighted the limited number of efforts on target relative to their overall shooting total and said that pattern had appeared in other matches. He wanted Rangers to keep winning before the final, but also to produce better performances.

Defensive consistency has supported the unbeaten sequence. Rangers have recorded seven clean sheets across those 11 games, with the latest shutout helping them overcome their difficulty converting chances against Aberdeen. BBC Sport Scotland identified centre-back Olwethu Makhanya as a consistent performer during the run. At Hampden, keeping Aberdeen scoreless meant Naderi's late intervention was enough to settle the contest.

Naderi's goal took his tally to eight, adding another decisive contribution after he had also scored in a 1-0 league victory at Celtic Park. He arrived from Germany's third tier in February and has become increasingly important in the absence of Lawrence Shankland and Youssef Chermiti. McInnes said the forward could benefit from more deliveries into the penalty area, with better quality of service a particular priority.

For McInnes, reaching Hampden finals must become a regular occurrence rather than an isolated achievement. He said the result gave supporters something to anticipate and helped maintain the positive mood around the club. Rangers now have a confirmed opportunity to win silverware, although the manager's post-match assessment made clear that securing a final place had not removed his concerns about their attacking execution.