CUP FINAL expert Kyogo Furuhashi will lead Celtic against Rangers in the Scottish Cup showpiece at Hampden this afternoon.
The Japanese frontman scored in back-to-back League Cup successes over Hibs and Michael Beale’s Ibrox outfit and got the ball rolling in the 3-1 win over Inverness Caley Thistle in last season’s Scottish Cup showdown.
Kyogo, who has claimed two matchwinners against the Govan club among his 19 goals this campaign, will start the match with Adam Idah among the stand-by squad.
TEAM: Hart; Johnston, Carter-Vickers, Scales, Taylor; O’Riley, McGregor, Hatate; Forrest, Kyogo, Maeda. Subs: Bain, Palma, Idah, Kuhn, Nawrocki, Iwata, Bernardo, Ralston and Welsh.
Rodgers is unbeaten at the national stadium and has no intention of having that sequence of success interrupted against opponents the champions have beaten three times in four Premiership outings this season with the other game tied at 3-3.
Earlier today in CQN‘s bumper Cup Final quiz, we asked ten questions to test your knowledge of the trophy holders’ eleven appearances in the showpiece showdown this century. The Hoops emerged victorious on ten occasions – let’s see if you, too, can be a Hampden winner.
Now we repeat those questions and provide the answers.
AT THE DOUBLE…Odsonne Edouard is congratulated by Scott Sinclair after hitting his second – and winning – goal against Hearts in May 2019. (See Question 6.)
OH, HAMPDEN IN THE SUN…Kyogo Furuhashi holds aloft the Scottish Cup after scoring the opening goal in the 3-1 win over Inverness Caley Thistle in June 2023. (See Question 9.)
QUESTIONS:
1: Celtic beat Hibs 3-0 to get the ball rolling at Hampden in season 2000/01. Which Hoops legend claimed a double?
2: Neil Lennon lifted his first Scottish Cup as a manager in 2010/11 when the Hoops overwhelmed Motherwell 3-0. Rival captain Stephen Craigan deflected in the second goal, but which players claimed the other two strikes?
3: Who was Celtic’s matchwinner in the 1-0 victory over Dundee United in 2004/05?
4: Stuart Armstrong and Tom Rogic were the goal heroes when Brendan Rodgers’ side sealed their Invincibles’ 2016/17 season with a 2-1 success over Aberdeen. Can you remember who scored for the Dons? Clue: He went on to play for Celtic.
5: Callum McGregor got the opener in the 2-0 win over Motherwell in the 2017/18 Cup Final. Who claimed the second goal?
6: Who was the two-goal hero in the 2-1 victory over Hearts a year later?
7: The following season’s Cup Final was pushed back to December 2020 when Celtic went to penalty-kicks to beat Hearts following a 3-3 stalemate after extra-time. Who scored the Hoops’ goals in open play?
8: Who thumped the deciding penalty-kick past former team-mate Craig Gordon to cement Celtic phenomenal quadruple treble?
9: Who scored the vital breakthrough goal in last season’s 3-1 win over Inverness Caley Thistle?
10: Four Celtic players who featured in that Hampden success have since left the club on a permanent basis. Can you name them?
GOLDEN BHOY…Henrik Larsson is congratulated by Paul Lambert as the Swede celebrates one of his double in Celtic’s 3-0 win over Hibs in May 2001. (See Question 1.)
FRENCH FANCY…Olivier Ntcham displays his delight after claiming the second goal in the 2-0 win over Motherwell in 2018. Scott Brown is about to join in the celebrations. (See Question 5.)
ANSWERS:
1: Henrik Larsson hit a double against Hibs. Jackie McNamara got the opening goal.
2: Ki Sung-Yeung and Charlie Mulgrew.
3: Alan Thompson.
4: Jonny Hayes.
5: Olivier Ntcham.
6: Odsonne Edouard.
7: Ryan Christie, Edouard (pen), Leigh Griffiths.
8: Kristoffer Ajer.
9: Kyogo Furuhashi.
10: Carl Starfelt, Liel Abada, Filipe Jota and David Turnbull.
Well done if you got ten out of ten. Go to the top of the class!
* DON’T miss the unbeatable match report and best action images from the Scottish Cup Final this afternoon – only in your champion CQN.
