BRENDAN RODGERS completed an extraordinary clean sweep of Scotland’s silverware when Tom Rogic claimed a stoppage-time winner in the 2-1 Scottish Cup Final triumph over Aberdeen at Hampden on the Saturday afternoon of May 27 2017.
The Irishman, in his debut campaign, led the club to an unprecedented 47-game unbeaten sequence against domestic opposition – something never achieved by any team before his Invincibles.
In the immediate aftermath of a memorable success, Rodgers said: “There has only been pride and and it’s a huge privilege to manage Celtic. I have always wanted to manage Celtic.
REIGNING IN THE RAIN…Brendan Rodgers acknowledges the Celtic fans in the monsoon conditions at Hampden.
“I’m here now and I just think it is the right time for everyone, myself and the club.
“We’ve created an identity this season and, hopefully, we can build on that and improve over the coming years. What we have achieved has been really spectacular.”
The champions had been rocked when the Dons had taken the lead through future Celt Jonny Hayes, but, thankfully, Stuart Armstrong had the perfect response with the leveller just over a minute later, a low left-foot drive from the edge of the box that zipped beyond the desperately diving Joe Lewis.
Two minutes into stoppage time, the scoreline hadn’t changed – until a moment of magic from the man known as the Wizard of Oz, Tom Rogic. No danger threatened as he picked up a pass from Armstrong and ambled forward. There was a spurt of acceleration to leave Anthony O’Connor in his slipstream.
WIZARD OF OZ…Tom Rogic races away in delight after his Scottish Cup Final stoppage-time winner.
Menacingly, Rogic carried into the penalty area, a shimmy one way and then another bamboozled Andy Considine before the Aussie playmaker spotted a space between the keeper and his near post. With a nonchalant sweep of his right foot he tucked the ball sweetly into the net.
About a minute later, referee Bobby Madden blew his whistle for time-up and the Scottish Cup was on its way to the east end of Glasgow to keep the Premiership and the League Cup company in the Celtic Park trophy cabinet.
History had been made with virtually the last kick of the ball.
TEAM: Gordon; Lustig, Simunovic. Boyata, Tierney (sub: Rogic 27); McGregor, Brown, Armstrong; Roberts (sub: Sviatchenko 94), Griffiths, Sinclair. Unused subs: De Vries, Gamboa, Bitton, Forrest, Dembele.
* DON’T miss the unbeatable match report from Celtic v Ross County this afternoon – only in your champion CQN.
