CELTIC 3 RANGERS 1 (AET)
THE two Callums – McGregor and Osmand – were the men who mattered as Celtic won through to a Premier Sports League Cup Final encounter with St Mirren on Sunday December 14.
Martin O’Neill looked on as his team were forced into an extra-time outcome after VAR – and Dame Fortune – had conspired to make life extremely difficult for the holders.
The Ibrox side, reduced to ten men after Thelo Aasgaard’s high-boot assault on Anthony Ralston in the 39th minute, had survived courtesy of Steven McLean and Andrew Dallas at the big screens after a Hoops goal had been ruled out in the 18th minute.
That ludicrous decision was only eclipsed by one to gift Danny Rohl’s side a penalty-kick equaliser in the 81st minute after Johnny Kenny’s slick header had separated the teams at the interval.
THREE CHEERS…Callum Osmand celebrates his first Celtic goal – and the Hoops’ third – in the dramatic Premier Sports League encounter. Arne Engels and Kieran Tierney join in.
It could not be denied the Hoops were worthy of their first-half advantage.
In truth, they could – and probably should – have been at least another strike to the good, but some wasteful finishing prevented them building a substantial lead.
An extremely tight and contentious VAR decision wiped out what looked like a perfectly good goal in the 18th minute, just 25 seconds after Jack Butland had got down swiftly to his right to hold a hurried shot from Daizen Maeda.
With a little bit more composure the Japanese speedster should have left the keeper without an earthly.
However, he was foiled on this occasion, but the Hoops quickly regained possession from the throw-out and were awarded a free-kick after Arne Engels had been clattered outside the box.
Captain McGregor swiftly took the set-play, Benjamin Nygren switched it in front of Daizen Maeda and his shot spun to panicking defender Nasser Djiga.
He thumped a clearance off the face of Nico Raskin and the ball ricocheted into the net.
It was a bizarre counter, but referee Nick Walsh pointed to the spot before it was wiped out when VAR ruled Maeda’s heel was offside in the build-up. Even after the lines were drawn, it was a debatable decision.
HEAD BHOY…Johnny Kenny thumps in the opener past Jack Butland.
There was a scare for the Hoops shortly afterwards when Youssef Chermiti hit one past the post from a good position after the defence had switched off for split-second.
The holders, though, claimed the breakthrough goal in the 25th minute and once again it was provided by Engels with an astute corner-kick.
The Belgian swung over a set-play from the right and Kenny’s timing was absolute perfection as he rose at the near post to glance a header high past the flailing arms of Jack Butland.
The Hoops fans burst into a chorus of “Martin O’Neill…Martin O’Neill” in appreciation for what they were witnessing.
There was a drive and intensity about the players in the first period which had been mysteriously missing for much of the season.
However, it took a smart save from Kasper Schmeichel to prevent Raskin from levelling when the diminutive midfielder got free to thump in an angled drive.
The keeper was down in a flash to divert the ball to safety.
Shortly afterwards, Aasgaard saw red for his challenge on Ralston which left with wounds high on his thigh, as TV pictures proved.
Into the second-half, Nygren had a 64th-minute header superbly saved by Butland low to his left.
A minute later, the Swede thumped a wayward shot wide after great service from Marcelo Saracchi on the left.
Sebastian Tounekti had promised so much and delivered so little on the left and it was no surprise when he was hooked in the 67th minute with James Forrest taking his place and Maeda switching wings.
Three minutes later, only the woodwork denied the evergreen Celt from adding to the scoreline.
Forrest was picked out by Saracchi with a low ball from the left and the evergreen winger thundered a drive high past the helpless Butland.
The cries of ‘Goal!’ were strangled in the throats of the Celtic fans as the ball crashed against the underside of the crossbar and was eventually worked back to the winger who lashed an effort wildly off target.
In the 71st minute, Reo Hatate and Osmand came on for Nygren and Kenny and seven minutes later Kieran Tierney replaced Saracchi.
It looked as though the holders had done enough to book their spot in next month’s showpiece, but VAR had other ideas.
VAR-CICAL…Anthony Ralston is penalised after a shot from Djeida Gassama and (below) James Tavernier fires the equaliser past Kasper Schmeichel.
In the 81st minute, the screen officials decided Anthony Ralston had handled a shot from Djeida Gassama.
It seemed obvious to all, apart from McLean and Dallas, that there was little the Hoops defender could do as he was falling to the ground after a nudge from Bojan Miovski.
His hand was out to cushion his fall and the shot bounced off his arm. Amazingly, VAR awarded a penalty-kick and James Tavernier whipped the dubious award wide of Schmeichel at his right.
Celtic had to go again and teen ace Osmand was picked out by Forrest, but he squandered the opportunity with a low drive that hit off Butland.
Hatate had the opportunity to claim the winner after being teed up by Forrest once again, but, presented with a clear shot at goal, the midfielder blazed over the bar. It was a dreadful miss.
However, onfield leader McGregor showed him how it was done with a spectacular second goal in the 93rd minute.
The midfielder raced onto a square pass from Auston Trusty, outstanding throughout, and walloped an unstoppable 20-yard drive past the helpless Butland.
THE OLD ONE-TWO…Callum McGregor celebrates thumping Celtic into a 2-1 lead and (below) Callum Osmand makes certain with No..3 from close range.
Four minutes later, the Ibrox No.1 foiled Osmand with a plunging save to his right to push away a netbound header after a Tierney cross from the left.
Then it was the turn of Schmeichel to thwart Gassama and Miovski in quick succession before the game was finally put to bed.
In the 109th minute of an epic derby encounter, McGregor passed to Tierney who flashed a ball over from the left.
Osmand, making only his second first-team appearance, was the quickest to react as he darted into the six-yard box to deflect a close-range effort past the static Butland.
Not even VAR could rule this one out as the teenager had timed his run to perfection.
A minute later, Michel-Ange Balikwisha replaced Maeda to join the green party.
It would be fair to say the Japanese ace was a worthy contender for Man of the Match along with McGregor and Trusty.
The main thing, though, is that Celtic will be at Hampden next month to defend their silverware.
TEAM: Schmeichel; Ralston, Trusty, Scales, Saracchi (sub: Tierney 78); Nygren (sub: Hatate 71), McGregor, Engels; Maeda (sub: Balikswisha 110), Kenny (sub: Osmand 71) and Tounekti (sub: Forrest 67).
