Rangers keep European hopes alive

A Kris Boyd double secured the points, but Hibs put in a spirited display which saw Derek Riordan find the back of the net.

Rangers need Aberdeen to take at least a point from Hearts tonight to ensure the race for second goes down to the final game at Ibrox.

Hibs went into the game knowing they would kill off their own European hopes if Rangers lost.

As the SPL’s fourth-placed team, a UEFA Cup spot was up for grabs if they could hold onto that position — but only if Rangers joined Celtic in the Champions League and Hearts won the Tennent’s Scottish Cup.

Rangers took the lead after 35 minutes.

Thomas Buffel raced into the box, drawing Malkowski from his goal, before slicing into the path of Boyd, who rifled home from eight yards.

A Riordan free-kick on 71 minutes brought Hibs level, the shot curling with the help of Rangers’ Brahim Hemdani.

But two minutes later Prso sliced Hibs open and delivered the ball to Boyd, who slotted home.

HIBERNIAN: Malkowski, Whittaker, Caldwell, Shields, Murphy, Shiels (Konte 71), Sproule, Glass, Riordan (Lynch 79), Konde, Fletcher (Dalglish 52).

RANGERS: Waterreus, Andrews, Kyrgiakos, Smith, Burke, Gavin Rae, Buffel (Lovenkrands 45), Hemdani, Murray (Alex Rae 83), Prso, Kris Boyd.

Referee: M McCurry.

Last night’ results: International friendlies: UAE 2 Syria 1, Poland 0 Lithuania 1. Coca-Cola Football League Two: Rochdale 0 Carlisle 2.

Bank of Scotland Scottish Premier League: Dundee Utd 0 Dunfermline 1; Hibernian 1 Rangers 2.