CELTIC 3 DUNFERMLINE 1
THE curtain came down on an extraordinary campaign with Martin O’Neill waving to the joyous Celtic fans and Callum McGregor holding the Scottish Cup aloft at Hampden this afternoon.
Incredibly, after all the trials and tribulations, Celtic had completed a remarkable league and Cup double after being written off just a few weeks ago.
Goals from Daizen Maeda, in possibly his farewell appearance, Arne Engels and Kelechi Iheanacho – who else? – got the job done against Neil Lennon’s battlers.
It was no surprise when Maeda claimed the breakthrough goal in the 19th minute.
HIGH HOPES…Daizen Maeda leaves Dunfermline defender John Tod in his slipstream as he lobs the ball towards goal for the breakthrough strike.
HAIL THE HERO…Daizen Maeda races towards the celebrating Celtic fans.
The Japanese speedster picked up where he left off last weekend in the title-winning victory over Hearts and this time it was the Fifers who were attempting in vain to close him down.
He darted around with his usual menace and his jet-paced acceleration helped him as he set off in pursuit of a chipped through ball from Alistair Johnston.
Central defender John Tod hesitated for a fatal moment, missed his clearance and Maeda was in behind him to size up the situation in a heartbeat before nonchalantly lifting the ball over the outrushing Anton Oxborough with his right foot.
The keeper was left motionless as the ball sailed serenely over his head on its way to its inevitable destination.
NUMBER TWO…Arne Engels and Callum McGregor (extreme right) celebrate the Belgian’s strike as Benjamin Nygren, Liam Scales and Yang Hyun-jun enjoy the moment.
Engels doubled the advantage in the 36th minute with a venomous right-foot drive from 25 yards that completely flummoxed the Fifers’ keeper.
The move started with Auston Trusty diving in to intercept a through pass to Callum Morrison with the ball going straight to Callum McGregor.
The captain rolled a pass to James Forrest who brought Kieran Tierney into play on the left.
The World Cup-bound defender knocked it back to McGregor and this time the inspirational midfielder teed up Engels.
The Belgian didn’t hesitate as he let fly from distance and Oxborough could only stand and admire the drive as it powered past him on his left before exploding into the net behind him.
The champions dominated the opening 45 minutes, but they were given a scare in the ninth minute when Johnston hesitated in knocking a pass back to Viljami Sinisalo.
Morrison, chasing behind him, managed to stretch and get a toe to the ball to knock it wide of the exposed keeper and it took a lung-bursting effort from Liam Scales to chase the effort as it rolled towards the gaping net.
The Republic of Ireland international managed to get to the ball just before it crossed the line as he whipped it to safety.
THREE CHEERS…Kelechi Iheanacho strikes the killer goal past Dunfermline keeper Anton Oxborough to make it 3-0 as Daizen Maeda gets a close-up view.
The Hoops lost the momentum in the first 10 minutes of the second-half with the Fifers, re-energised by the introduction of three half-time substitutions and some words from Neil Lennon, trying to close them down and put them under pressure.
As expected, O’Neill introduced Iheanacho for Forrest in the 59th minute with Maeda going to the left wing and Yang switching flanks.
Two minutes later, Lenny’s men reminded Celtic it wasn’t over when Alfons Amade lashed in a 20-yard drive that had Sinisalo scrambling across his line before it swept wide of his right-hand post.
In the 66th minute Iheanacho touched a low cross from Yang over the line, but the strike was ruled out for offside. It was tight, but images showed it was the right decision.
However, there was no arguing with the third goal in the 73rd minute from who else other than Iheanacho.
The Nigerian international took a pass from Benjamin Nygren, displayed some bewildering quick feet to get away from two defenders and then the keeper before easing the ball into the net.
The guy just makes it look so easy.
MARTIN THE MARVEL…the Celtic interim boss holds aloft the Scottish Cup after completing an incredible double in a turbulent season.
In the 75th minute, there was a double substitution by the Hoops with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Sebastian Tounekti coming on for Nygren and Yang.
The Fifers claimed a consolation goal in the 80th minute when a shot was directed across goal by Johnston straight to Josh Cooper, on the pitch for 30 seconds, and he rattled a close-range drive at the far post beyond the helpless Sinisalo.
Five minutes later, Marcelo Saracchi replaced Tierney as the Hoops coasted to the final whistle of a turbulent season in which they have somehow managed to claim a double.
Only Martin O’Neill could have inspired such a rally from the Hoops.
TEAM: Sinisalo; Johnston, Trusty, Scales, Tierney (sub: Saracchi 85); Nygren (sub: Oxlade-Chamberlain 75), McGregor, Engels; Forrest (sub: Iheanacho 59), Maeda, Yang (sub: Tounekti 75).
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