Celtic have now won domestic trophies after an inspired performance from Fraser Forster led Neil Lennon’s side to victory against Rangers in the Scottish League Cup final. Steven Gerrard’s side were in full control for most of the match, with Alfredo Morelos creating a number of clear-cut chances only to be continually denied by Forster.
Celtic beat Rangers to win the Scottish League Cup(Image: GETTY)
But despite Ranger’s constant pressure, it was Celtic who broke the deadlock with Christopher Jullien tapping in from a Ryan Christie free-kick.
Replays however appeared to indicate the defender was decidedly offside but, with no VAR to check, the goal stood.
Rangers could and probably should have equalized just minutes later though after Morelos once again found himself with space in the box, only to be brought down by Jeremie Frimpong with the Celtic full-back being sent off.
Morelos, who had failed to score in 10 previous Old Firm derbies, stepped up to take the spot-kick but his tame effort was denied by the brick wall of Forster once again.
Rangers continued to pile on the pressure against the 23 – men of Celtic, but they were unable to find a way through against the rigid backline of Lennon’s side as the Hoops went on to win their fourth consecutive Scottish League Cup final.
Fraser Forster has been a colossus for Celtic in goal(Image: GETTY)
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FULL-TIME – CELTIC WIN
************************** 419:Forster is down in the box and seeking treatment. Rangers fans groan in disapprovement and they’ve already started leaving.
(***********************************************************************************: CLOSE! It’s just not Morelos’ day! He breaks the offside trap and fires a shot across Forster but it whistles past the post.
(******************************************************************************** PENALTY SHOUT! Morelos goes down in the box after feeling hands on the back from Johnston and Rangers fans scream for another spot-kick, but appeals are waved away.
(************************************************************************************:Time running out for Rangers to find an equaliser. They look like they’ve slightly run out of steam.
(****************************************************************************************: Steven Gerrard with his first change of the match, bringing on Jermain Defoe for Glen Kamara
71: CLOSE!This game has truly come alive since Celtic opened the scoring. And Neil Lennon’s side should be out of sight! Edouard plays through Mikey Johnston clean through on goal but he slips as he shoots wide.
****** Christopher Jullien scored the opener for Celtic(Image: GETTY)
70: PENALTY SAVED!Fraser Forster is doing everything he can to keep Celtic in this and he has just denied Morelos once again! What a mad few minutes of Old Firm football. Rangers still 1-0 down but have the extra man now.
PENALTY RANGERS! **************** Alfredo Morelos is brought down by Jeremie Frimpong in the box and the Celtic full-back is sent off!
(******************************************************************************************: GOAL CELTIC !!What a turn of events! Edouard wins Celtic a free-kick with his first direction and it’s a wicked ball into the box from Ryan Christie and Jullien is there to tap home. Pandemonium from the Celtic fans.
But replays appeared to show Jullien was in an offside position as the ball was played into the box.
(************************************************************************************************: Strong shouts for a Rangers penalty! Morelos goes down after feeling a kick from Scott Brown but the referee waves away their appeals. Rangers ramping up the pressure once again.
(************************************************************************************************: CLOSE! How did the ball not find the net there ?! A terrific cross from Tavernier has the Celtic defense all at sea. Morelos at the back post pokes it past Forster but the ball agonisingly rolls across the face of the goal. Moments later and Forster stabs the ball clear with Aribo bearing down on goal.
(***************************************************************************************************:Neil Lennon was not happy with the first half clearly as he makes a half-time substitution. On comes Mikey Johnston for Mohamed Elyounoussi.
Steven Gerrard reacts after seeing Rangers denied an opening goal(Image: GETTY)
HALF-TIME
Rangers will be scratching their heads as to how they haven found a breakthrough but they’ve come up against an inspired performance from Fraser Forster.The Celtic shot-stopper has denied Alfredo Morelos three times as well as an acrobatic stop from Ryan Jack.Important half-time chat from Neil Lennon to try and fire up his troops. Can Steven Gerrard’s side keep up the pressure in the second half?
(************************************************************************************************: That would have ruined a few betting slips for this match. Glen Kamara is the first player into the referee’s book after blatantly pulling back Jeremie Frimpong.
42: CLOSE!
Alfredo Morelos must be wondering what he must do to find a way past Fraser Forster! The Rangers striker breaks free in the box and lets fly with an arrowing shot towards the bottom corner, but Forster spreads himself to deny Morelos once again. Still 0-0.
(******************************************************************************************************: It is all Rangers still. Ryan Kent this time cuts inside and hits a hopeful shot which was always rising.
33:Good news for Rangers though as Jack returns to the fray after briefly receiving treatment. Celtic also unhappy about a few challenges from Morelos. The Rangers striker towing the line for a yellow card.
:Ryan Jack with a magnificent tackle on Lewis Morgan to stop a counter-attack from Celtic but a major concern for Steven Gerrard with the midfielder down on the ground in agony. Replays appeared to show Jack had incidentally planted his left foot into the turf while making the interception, locking his leg in the process.
(********************************************************************************************************: CLOSE!Rangers are banging at the door now and Morelos comes close again to breaking his Old Firm duck! The forward evades the challenge from Ajer and bares down on goal at the angle. There’s no clear option to pass in the box so he takes it on himself, but Forster stands tall and blocks with his legs.
Jeremie Frimpong was sent off after bringing down Alfredo Morelos in the box(Image: GETTY)
Alfredo Morelos came close twice in the opening (minutes) ************** (Image: GETTY)
(**********************************************************************************************************:
Not so convincing from Forster this time around! Morelos strikes towards goal from the angle and Forster allows the ball to fall through his legs and a moment of panic among Celtic defenders as they scramble to clear. All hands on deck for Neil Lennon’s side at the moment to stay in this.
(****************************************************************************************************************: CLOSE!
The first piece of action for Fraser Forster and the Celtic shot -stopper pulls off an unbelievable save to deny a thunderbolt effort from Ryan Jack. The Rangers star struck it sweetly from 23 yards out with Forster incredibly getting a hand to it.
61: Frenetic start from both sides with a few crunching challenges already being met with loud cheers and jeers. Neither goalkeeper being challenged as of yet.
3: Goldson again! The Rangers defender finds himself with room from a Tavernier free-kick to win a header, but once again his attempt is off target. Celtic yet to get going in the early stages.
1: An explosion of noise as the referee gets the match underway and Rangers are immediately on the front foot with back-to-back corners. Connor Goldson with a glancing header but he can’t direct it goal wards. Promising start for Steven Gerrard’s side.
Rangers enjoyed the better of the early exchanges(Image: GETTY)
Who carries away this trophy at the final whistle? Who carries away this trophy at the final whistle?(Image: GETTY)
Trophy carried out …
Ally McCoist and Chris Sutton carrying out the trophy. Fair to say the latter got the majority of the boos out of the two.
The teams are in the tunnel ahead of kick-off …
What happened in the last Old Firm derby?
Rangers came into the match on September 1 buoyed after qualifying for the Europa League group stage, but it was Celtic who came out with bragging rights.
Odsonne Edouard got Neil Lennon’s side off the mark that day with a fine finish past Allan McGregor.
Jonny Hayes added a second in stoppage time but there was still time for the trademark red card in the fixture as Jordan Jones was sent off in the dying seconds.
************ Rangers vs Celtic LIVE: Neil Lennon will be looking to win his first Scottish League Cup as a boss(Image: GETTY)
Team news
Rangers had been hoping Steven Davis would pass a late fitness test to start, but he’s not included.
There is also some disappointment from Celtic with Odsonne Edouard deemed not fit enough to start, also being named on the bench.
Rangers: McGregor, Tavernier, Goldson, Helander, Barisic, Kamara, Jack, Aribo, Arfield, Kent, Morelos.
Substitutes: Foderingham, Defoe, Ojo, Stewart, Katic, Flanagan, Barker.
Celtic: Forster, Frimpong, Jullien, Ajer, Hayes, Brown, McGregor, Forrest, Christie, Elyounoussi, Morgan.
(Substitutes: Gordon, Edouard, Johnston, Bitton, Bolingoli, Ntcham, Rogic.)
Steven Gerrard is aiming to win his first managerial trophy with Rangers(Image: GETTY)
Rangers ‘Scottish League Cup record is slightly better than that of their Old Firm foes when they play each other.
In 49 appearances in the competition against Celtic, Rangers have come out on top on 24 occasions, compared to the Hoops’ wins from those games.
Their other two League Cup clashes have ended in draws – a result which neither side is looking for in minutes today.
Celtic have the incentive to continue their domestic dominance, while Rangers are seeking out a first major trophy since
Celtic won the last Old Firm derby earlier this season(Image: GETTY)
Hello everyone and welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Scottish League Cup final as Rangers take on Celtic at Hampden Park.
Steven Gerrard has helped steer Rangers back to a position of being able to challenge old rivals Celtic and will be aiming to win his first managerial trophy since taking the hotseat at the Ibrox in (**************************************************************.
Neil Lennon has pedigree of winning trophies but he also is yet to hold the Scottish League Cup as a manager, having won the competition twice as a player.
Incredibly, it’s the first time the Old Firm rivals have met in a cup final since the Scottish League Cup which provided plenty of talking points and Rangers coming out on top.
It’s a tough one to call with the two clubs separated by just two points in the league but it promises to be a cracker
This will be the th meeting between Celtic in Rangers in one of football’s oldest and most fierce rivalries.
Rangers still hold the advantage in the all-time head-to-head record having won 385 to C eltic’s but the Hoops have cut that deficit over the past decade.
The Light Blues had been in the wilderness after they entered the process of liquidation, putting them down in the third division.
A return to the Premiership eventually came in and they have slowly been trying to close the gap to the old rivals.
Under Steven Gerrard’s stewardship , Rangers pushed Celtic close in the league last year and are now on the verge of winning their first major trophy since
But standing in their way is a Celtic side going for their th consecutive domestic trophy and Neil Lennon’s side slight favors heading into th e final.
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