CELTIC will face Michael Beale’s Ibrox side in the Viaplay League Cup Final at Hampden on Sunday February 26.
The Govan club overcame 10-man Aberdeen 2-1 in extra-time to set up the third derby of the season.
The Pittodrie side had taken the lead four minutes from the interval through Bojan Miovski, but an unfortunate 61st-minute own goal from on-loan Celt Liam Scales threw Beale’s side a lifeline.
And it was grabbed four minutes into extra-time when Scott Wright broke on the left before setting up Kemar Roofe who slid the ball home from six yards.
SEEING RED…Dons skipper Anthony Stewart is dismissed by referee Nick Walsh.
Jim Goodwin’s outfit were reduced to 10 men two minutes into stoppage-time when skipper Anthony Stewart was shown a straight red after a sliding challenge on Fashion Sakala.
There was another potential flashpoint when Scales went down holding his face and pictures showed contact from Ryan Kent, but no further action was taken after the Dons were awarded a free-kick.
The opening goal in the 41st minute was all down the quick thinking of Matty Kennedy and finishing skills of Miovski.
The striker was clearly offside as a ball was fired through into space between Borna Barisic and Ben Davies. The North Macedonian international realised he was in an illegal position and stopped running, but team-mate Kennedy saw his opportunity to race onto the ball.
The Ibrox double-act were caught on their heels and the Pittodrie star dragged the ball wide before switching it inside for Miovski who lofted it away from Allan McGregor.
NO GOAL…Bojan Miovski leaves Allan McGregor helpless, but the goal is chalked off for offside.
HIGH HOPES…Bojan Miovski lobs the ball over Allan McGregor to give the Dons the half-time advantage.
But that was wiped out just after the hour mark when the unlucky Scales deflected a low drive from Ryan Jack past his own keeper, Kelle Roos.
Beale’s side had escaped in the 16th minute when Miovski sped onto a through ball, turned inside onto his left foot and then thundered a blistering angled drive high past McGregor.
However, Nick Walsh’s assistant flagged for offside and VAR looked at the incident. The forward was deemed to be just ahead of Davies and the screen image highlighted the infringement.
The game became towsy in the latter stages as the Pittodrie side tried valiantly to force penalty-kicks to determine who meets the holders next month.
The Pittodrie side’s last chance came and went in the fading moments when Scales had a shot blocked by McGregor.
Now Ange Postecoglou’s men, who have won 4-0 and drawn 2-2 in the previous derbies this season, have been given the opportunity to retain their trophy in style.
