Scottish League Cup final: Celtic 3 Rangers 3 (Celtic win 5-4 on pens)
Six goals, 10 penalties, 11 yellow cards and the unmistakable whiff of controversy. This was the rarest of things, an Old Firm epic at Hampden Park. For the first time, Celtic and Rangers required spot-kicks to be separated in the final of one of Scotland’s major competitions. Celtic found a way to win, endorsing this period of dominance, with their greatest foes understandably sore at coming away with nothing after their contribution to such a memorable fixture.
Technically, Ridvan Yilmaz was the Rangers fall guy. The Turkish full back was the only player to miss during the shoot-out. Daizen Maeda slotted home to trigger Celtic celebrations, on account of collecting the one Scottish trophy that eluded them last season. A domestic treble has once again honed into view.
Philippe Clement understandably refused to castigate Yilmaz. The Rangers manager turned his attention elsewhere; his side believed they should have had an extra-time penalty for Liam Scales’s pull on Vaclav Cerny. Scales was booked for the challenge, with a free-kick given outside the penalty area. Clement implored the media to “dig in” to the circumstances around that incident.
“My phone is overloaded with the penalty situation,” Clement said. “I have had hundreds of messages about that. Of course the referee cannot see that but he didn’t get communication from the VAR. That for me is a really weird situation. It is clear for everybody that is a decisive decision.”
Brendan Rodgers had no cause to care less about Clement’s protestations. “It was a great game to be involved in,” said Celtic’s manager. “Ultimately it is about coming out on top. The guys showed big heart and composure when it came to penalties. The most important thing is being on that podium at the end.” Rodgers insisted he had not seen the Scales situation on a replay.
Rangers held a deserved half-time lead, which felt an eternity before Celtic paraded the cup. Greg Taylor gave possession directly to Nedim Bajrami, who played in Hamza Igamane. Kasper Schmeichel saved Igamane’s effort, with Bajrami on hand to stroke home the rebound.
Four second-half minutes turned the tie back in Celtic’s favour. Taylor’s shot from outside the penalty area was deflected past Jack Butland before Maeda capitalised on slack play between Nicolas Raskin and Leon Balogun to breach the Rangers defence.
Rangers’ response was impressive. They had threatened even before Mohamed Diomande spun Arne Engels and flicked a shot towards Schmeichel’s goal. It found the net via the unwitting Kyogo Furuhashi.
Convention suggested Celtic had won the cup after Nicolas Kuhn and Arne Engels combined in rapid fashion. Kuhn finished sharply from inside the penalty area. With three minutes to go, Rangers looked down and out. Clement’s men blasted back again as Cerny’s wonderful cross from the right was nodded past Schmeichel by Danilo.
Extra-time featured tired players and misplaced passes. Engels could have notched a Celtic fourth but took a poor touch from Reo Hatate’s pass. Adam Idah, Callum McGregor, Engels, Hatate and Maeda ensured a perfect set of Celtic penalties. Schmeichel saved low from Yilmaz. “Football can be great, amazing and it can be very cruel,” added Clement. “This was a very cruel one. My team deserved more.”
Events on the field may just about divert attention away from another embarrassing day for Scotland’s national sport off it. Christmas shoppers in Glasgow city centre had to flee from rampaging ultras before a ball was kicked.
The start of this final was delayed by a pyrotechnic show, Rangers prehistoric anti-Catholic songbook was once again back with bells on and an element of the Ibrox support piled through barriers at the time of the opening goal. As Maeda scored the winning penalty Celtic fans – whose own choice of verse was hardly from the pantomime season – breached security to flood on to the track en masse. Cue another wait, this time for the presentation of medals and the trophy.
The cowardice displayed by the football authorities – and clubs – in dealing with rising misbehaviour in stands is coming home to roost. Supporters are emboldened. Rangers and Celtic are already facing charges for firework shows before their respective semi-finals, after the Scottish Professional Football League belatedly and surprisingly chose to deploy its own rules, one assumes after a nod and a wink from the clubs in question.
The Scottish government should be insisting that football’s executives, hide-and-seek champions, start to act in a manner even mildly relating to their positions of power. If Celtic and Rangers want to portray themselves as modern, forward-thinking clubs they also need to tackle disruptive elements among their support far more vigorously. The status quo is unacceptable.
The status quo on the field means Celtic winning, in this instance their 199th major honour. Rangers will feel close after this final; which counts for little in a city where second best is immaterial. – Guardian
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