CELTIC will face Steven Gerrard’s Ibrox side in the Betfred League Cup Final at Hampden on December 8.
The holders made certain of their place in the competition’s showdown yesterday when they ovcercame Hibs 5-2 in an entertaining and engrossing encounter with skipper Scott Brown claiming a double for the first time in almost five years. Mohamed Elyounoussi netted two in the first-half while Callum McGregor chipped in with another in the first-half as the Hoops raced to a 3-1 interval lead.
There was little by way of obstacles from Hearts in this afternoon’s last-four confrontation as they meekly surrendered to a 3-0 loss with Alfredo Morelos snapping up two second-half strikes.
Some woeful defending from the Edinburgh side allowed the Ibrox team to take the lead in first-half stoppage time when centre-back Filip Helander was allowed to walk through the static rearguard to roll in the breakthrough goal.
HAMPDEN HOORAYS…Odsonne Edouard and Callum McGregor celebrate the second goal at Hampden last night.
There was little by way of retaliation from the Tynecastle club who sacked their manager Craig Levein on Thursday and placed assistant Austin MacPhee in charge for the big game.
It looked as though the idea was to hit on the break and the tactics backfired as soon as Gerrard’s outfit took the lead. In truth, Hearts did not lay a glove on Allan McGregor who could have caught up with his Sunday reading in Row E.
Now all eyes are on the national stadium next month as Neil Lennon’s men look for their TENTH successive domestic trophy.
The clubs met at Ibrox in September when goals from Odsonne Edouard and Jonny Hayes gave the eight-in-a-row champions a 1-0 triumph.
