David Hannah's second half strike put Dundee United 90 minutes away from Europe and forced Rangers to face up to the bleak prospect of a trophy-less season.

How the fortunes of these two sides have changed since the early weeks of the campaign, when Rangers were leading their Champions League group and winless United were rooted to the foot of the Scottish Premier League.

Hannah struck to send his side into the semi-finals of the Scottish Cup on a night that more than illustrated how their fortunes had revived over the past months while those of the ailing champions have waned dramatically.

Now all Dick Advocaat, whose position will now come under intense scrutiny, has to play for is second place in the league and the Champions League place that goes with it.

But his future selection problems have intensified once more as Bert Konterman faces a ban following his dismissal for two bookable offences.

Advocaat's side failed to muster a single shot on target all night against a United team who were the better side in the first half and restricted Rangers to a single threatening moment, which saw Tore Andre Flo hook wide under pressure from Craig Easton.

The home side could point to two chances of their own that were of a more refined pedigree.

The first fell to Jim Hamilton after Sergio Porrini, the right-footed Italian playing left-back, gifted possession to Easton, who cut into the box.

Hamilton was able to pull the trigger but a combination of Craig Moore's lunge and goalkeeper Stefan Klos saw the ball deflected for a corner.

Klos had to do it all on his own the next time his goal was directly threatened and again Easton was involved.

He sent Lilley racing away goalwards with his marker trailing but the German came out to narrow the angle and Lilley could only fire against his body.

It wasn't an opening 45 minutes to remember but that wasn't for the want of effort on the part of United schemer Charlie Miller, whose second appearance against his former club had been much hyped.

Konterman was the man in blue who had been assigned to snuff out Miller's creative instincts but by the 16th minute the Dutchman's name was in the book for the second of two fouls.

Miller and Konterman collided soon after but referee John Underhill waved play on on that occasion.

Rangers also had the wild card that is Fernando Ricksen in their line-up and he too was involved in a few over-zealous tackles.

But the ailing champions' fears that skipper Barry Ferguson had become yet another name on the injured list disappeared when he was able to return to the fray after an early felling by a hard but seemingly fair Jim Lauchlan tackle.

The first half also saw two more unsuccessful Lorenzo Amoruso free-kicks to add to the collection.

The first was the best - a short pass that fooled the Dundee rearguard and team-mate Allan Johnston as well.

Rangers had the best of the play after the break but it was United who went ahead in the 62nd minute.

Easton crossed and Craig Moore appeared to have got the better of Hamilton in the box.

But the United man was still able to hook the ball back in to the danger zone where Miller was lurking.

Ricksen did enough to put him off but the ball continued its path to the onrushing David Hannah, who smashed it past the exposed Klos.

Rangers almost replied with an instant equaliser when Dodds slid the ball across the United box to Johnston at the far post.

He was close enough to see the raindrops glistening off the net strings but somehow managed to put the ball across Paul Gallacher's exposed goal and wide.

Rangers' chances of retrieving the situation diminished when Konterman was sent off for his second bookable offence, this time for fouling Jamie Buchan.

Ricksen had to go off injured soon after, forcing rookie Steven Carson into the fray.

United sensed it was to be their night and were determined not to be denied. Rangers were there for the taking and had Klos to thank that the scoreline remained at 1-0.

Hamilton almost caught Klos out from long range, forcing the German to a back-tracking tip-over.

Then he was required to make two world-class saves to deny Lilley in the space of seconds, with the first an amazing Gordon Banks-style deflection of a header upwards and over the bar.

It was save of the season but not enough to save his side's season, which now lies in tattered ruins.

United had only ever beaten Rangers once in the cup - the 1994 final. Now their fans are dreaming of Europe once more.

Teams

Dundee Utd: Gallacher, McCunnie, De Vos, Lauchlan, Buchan, Easton, Miller, Griffin, Hannah, Hamilton (Thompson 83), Lilley.

Subs Not Used: Combe, Venetis, Naveda, Smith.

Goals: Hannah 61.

Rangers: Klos, Moore (Malcolm 80), Amoruso, Wilson, Porrini, Ricksen (Carson 71), Ferguson, Konterman, Johnston (Miller 64), Flo, Dodds.

Subs Not Used: Christiansen, Kaupilla.

Sent Off: Konterman (68).

Booked: Konterman, Moore, Amoruso.

Att: 11,793

Ref: J Underhill (Scotland).