Dec 16,2024
Daizen Maeda scored the decisive spot-kick as Celtic emerged 5-4 penalty shoot-out winners over Rangers after a pulsating Premier Sports Cup final ended 3-3 after extra-time at Hampden Park.
Light Blues wide-man Nadim Baramin opened the scoring in the 41st minute after a mistake by Parkhead left-back Greg Taylor, who made amends in the 56th minute when his drive deflected in off Gers midfielder Nicolas Raskind, whose mistake cost Gers four minutes later as Maeda fired in a second for the Hoops.
The Ibrox side rallied and levelled in the 75th minute through Mohamed Diomande but when Nicolas Kuhn restored Celtic's lead in the 87th minute the trophy looked Parkhead-bound, only for Gers substitute Danilo to level a minute later and take the game to extra-time.
After no more goals the game went to penalties and Hoops goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel gave Brendan Rodgers’ side the advantage by saving Ridvan Yilmaz’s effort before Maeda beat Jack Butland to take the trophy back to Parkhead.
Despite a valiant effort, it was another Celtic triumph and leaves Philippe Clement without a win in six Old Firm matches, while Celtic moved ahead on the historical trophy count – 119 to 118.
A Glasgow derby classic was preceded by some off-field nonsense.
Both sets of fans set off pyros which engulfed the stadium in smoke, despite both clubs being under investigation for the same behaviour in their respective semi-finals.
Following a delayed kick-off, Schmeichel soon parried a Ianis Hagi cutback but the first real chance came in the 14th minute when Jack Butland made a great save to deny Kuhn and blocked the follow-up shot by midfielder Reo Hatate.
Moments later, the Gers keeper saved an angled drive from striker Kyogo Furuhashi, who found space in the Rangers box before Leon Balogun’s header from a James Tavernier cross was gathered by Schmeichel.
Celtic appeared to be on top but they were stung when Taylor’s slack pass across the middle of the pitch was intercepted by Bajrami, who played in striker Hamza Igamane. When his low drive from the edge of the box was parried by Schmeichel, Bajrami followed in to slip the ball into the empty net.
Celtic’s Liam Scales replaced Auston Trusty for the start of the second half and he came close with a header from a Bernardo free-kick.
In the 51st minute Rangers found themselves in an incredible four-versus-one situation but Bajrami’s cutback was cut out by Cameron Carter-Vickers for a corner which came to nothing.
Butland got his toe to a Furuhashi flick at the near post but as Celtic kept up the pressure, Taylor’s drive from outside the box came off Raskin and sped behind the Gers keeper, who was wrong-footed.
The Parkhead side piled forward and when Raskin’s header back to Balogun was too short, Maeda nipped in, sped on and quickly drilled the ball low past Butland.
The game had turned completely, it seemed, but Schmeichel made saves from Vaclav Cerny and Diomande before the Gers got the equaliser their pressure deserved, Diomande turning substitute Arne Engels inside the Celtic box from an Igamane pass and squeezing the ball past Schmeichel.
The game continued to race from end to end. Kuhn combined with Engels down the right and knocked the return ball low past Butland to make it 3-2 to Celtic.
However, there was more drama when Danilo, just on for Bajrami, headed in a Cerny cross from under the bar to make it 3-3 and set up an extra 30 minutes.
Celtic edged extra time – Rangers looked out on their feet – but the goals dried up before the penalty drama.
Schmeichel was beaten by Tavernier, Hagi and Danilo before he blocked Yilmaz’s penalty, with Gers keeper Butland also scoring.
However Celtic did not fail from the spot, with Republic of Ireland striker Adam Idah, skipper Callum McGregor, Engels and Hatate netting before Maeda clinched the victory.
