Premier Sports Cup

Celtic 3 – 1 Rangers Kenny (25′) McGregor (93′) Osmand (109′) Tavernier (81′ pen) Celtic will play St Mirren in the Scottish League Cup Final, after Martin O’Neill’s side edged out the ten men of Rangers in a dramatic Hampden clash. The game began frantically, as both sides wrestled for control of the cup tie. An early mistake from Nasser Djiga allowed Sebastian Tounekti into space on the Celtic left. John Souttar cleared his cross before Johnny Kenny could make contact. Tounekti was involved again in the 10th minute. Anthony Ralston’s low cross found its way to the Tunisian at the back post, but his first-time shot blazed over. Jack Butland denied Daizen Maeda’s shot in the 17th minute before Celtic had the ball in the back of the net moments later. A quick Callum McGregor free kick worked its way to Djiga in the box, the centre back’s clearance bounced off Nico Raskin and floated into the net. Luckily for Danny Rohl’s side, Maeda was deemed offside in the build-up. Youssef Chermiti fired wide from six yards in the 21st minute after Mohamed Diomande’s decisive pass, for Rangers’ best chance of the match, but Celtic broke the deadlock four minutes later. Kenny towered above the Rangers’ defence to head home Arne Engels’ corner kick. The goal was his third in two games, and it warranted Celtic’s positive start to the game. Kenny almost added to the lead minutes later, after breaking several challenges on the edge of the box, he blasted a strike, which Jack Butland blocked. Despite defending poorly in the first period, Rangers had two massive opportunities to equalise. Danilo’s clever reverse pass freed Raskin on the right edge of the box, but Kasper Schmiechel smothered his shot to keep the score at 1-0. Chermiti then ghosted in at the back post from Tavernier’s set piece, but couldn’t make a firm contact on the ball, as his volley poked wide. The Ibrox side’s afternoon went from bad to worse after Thelo Aasgaard caught Ralston high on the defender’s thigh, Nick Walsh gave the Norwegian his marching orders to reduce Rangers to ten men. Celtic could have been down to ten men themselves on the stroke of halftime. Auston Trusty made contact with Butland’s head after gathering the ball, but Nick Walsh opted for a yellow card, maintaining Celtic’s numerical advantage. Celtic continued to threaten at the start of the second period. Engels flashed a 25-yard strike past Butland’s goal in the 53rd minute as Martin O’Neill’s side looked to double their advantage. Another Engels corner was almost headed home by Benjamin Nygren a minute after, before Butland parried Ralston’s subsequent strike. Rangers did improve in the second period despite being a man down. Diomande flashed wide after Tavernier’s free kick as Rohl’s side tried to unsettle their opposition. Celtic should have gone two-nil ahead in the 67th minute. Marcelo Saracchi drove infield, flashing a cross to Nygren, who blazed over. James Forrest crashed a left-footed strike off the crossbar moments later. Liam Scales delivered a potential goal equaliser-saving tackle in the following moments to stop Djeidi Gassama from blasting at Schmiechel’s goal. Nick Walsh awarded Rangers a penalty in the 80th minute, after Ralston blocked Gassama’s shot with his arm. Tavernier made no mistake, slotting low to Schmiechel’s right, sending the blue side of Hampden into frenzy. The ten men had been up against it since Aasgaard’s dismissal, but had somehow dragged themselves back into the semi-final. Calum Osmand had an opportunity to regain Celtic’s lead after being slid through Forrest, but the youngster rolled his shot straight at Butland to keep the score level. Hatate could have sent Celtic to the final in injury time, he linked with Forrest on the right but blasted over Butland’s bar. Tierney’s deflected strike went behind with the last kick of the game. Calum McGregor rocketed Celtic into the lead at the start of extra time. Trusty laid off to the captain on the edge of the box, who crashed a strike past Butland from 25 yards. Gassama was sent clean through by Bojan Miovski in the 100th minute, after Schmiechel was alert to block his strike. Osmand sealed Celtic’s spot in the final in the final ten minutes, Kieran Tierney flashed a low cross for the substitute to slide home. Celtic: Schmeichel 6 Ralston 5 Trusty 7 Scales 7 Saracchi 7 McGregor 7 Engels 7 Nygren 7 Maeda 6 Kenny 8 Tounekti 6 Substitutes: Forrest 6 Hatate 6 Osmand 6 Balikwisha 5 Tierney 6 Rangers: Butland 5 Djiga 3 Souttar 6 Cornelius 6 Tavernier 6 Diomande 6 Raskin 7 Meghoma 7 Aasgaard 4 Danilo 5 Chermiti 3 Substitutes: Gassama 6 Moore 6 Miovski 6 Antman 5 Aarons 5 Rothwell 5