GLASGOW, April 20: Premier league Dundee booked a place in the Scottish Cup final for the first time in 39 years on Sunday as Georgi Nemsadze’s late goal ended the dreams of first division Inverness Caledonian Thistle in a 1-0 win.

The Georgian midfielder struck 12 minutes from time to settle a cagey semifinal at a half-full Hampden Park and set up a May 31 final meeting with holders and premier league leaders Rangers, who beat Motherwell 4-3 on Saturday.

It will be a repeat of Dundee’s last final appearance in 1964, when they were beaten 3-1 by the Glasgow side. Dundee’s sole Cup success came in 1910.

With Rangers already assured of their place in Europe, Dundee are now guaranteed a place in the UEFA Cup for the first time since 1974-75, whatever happens in the final back at Hampden.

After Saturday’s all-action first semifinal, Sunday’s game was a much more careful affair.

Inverness, who stunned Celtic 1-0 in the last round, went closest early on as striker Dennis Wyness hit the post after 11 minutes.

Dundee, unbeaten in 13 games going into the match, had the best of the first half but although forward Steve Lovell was a constant threat they created few clear chances.

When they did get one shortly before the break, Steven Milne miss-hit his shot.

Dundee continued to look the more likely winners in the second half and Fabian Caballero sprung the Caley offside trap after an hour, but with just the goalkeeper to beat, the Argentine forward shot over the bar.

The game looked to be heading for a replay until Caballero broke clear and fed Nemsadze and although the skipper didn’t get much venom into his shot it sneaked past Mark Brown and in off a post.—Reuters