CELTIC go into this afternoon’s Scottish Cup semi-final after emerging victorious in the previous EIGHTEEN visits to Hampden.
There have been 17 wins inside the regulation 90 minutes and the dramatic penalty-kick decider against Hearts in the delayed Scottish Cup Final in December 2020 when Neil Lennon’s side walked a silverware tightrope.
The phenomenal quadruple treble – TWELVE domestic trophies in a row – was up for grabs that eventful, grey afternoon and the Parkhead men looked to be coasting into the history books as they led 2-0 with strikes from Ryan Christie and Odsonne Edouard (pen) inside 30 minutes.
THE GOAL THAT CLINCHED THE QUADRUPLE TREBLE…Kristoffer Ajer thumps the ball past Craig Gordon for the winner in the 2020 Scottish Cup Final.
However, a shaky defence allowed the Edinburgh team, then playing in the Championship, back into the contest and the showdown went to extra-time.
Substitute Leigh Griffiths thrashed in a third goal in the 105th minute, but once again the Edinburgh opponents came back to square it at 3-3.
The trophy would be decided on penalty-kicks and it looked as though the Celtic dream was over when Christie saw his effort pushed away superbly by his former team-mate Craig Gordon.
Thankfully, Griffiths and Callum McGregor had converted their awards before rookie keeper Conor Hazard took centre stage with two stops from Stephen Kingsley and Craig Wighton.
All eyes were on Kristoffer Ajer at the decisive spot-kick and the Norwegian walloped a mighty effort beyond Gordon.
GLASGOW BELONGS TO ME…Ange Postecoglou with the newly-won League Cup six days before Christmas.
This season, the business has been done in regulation time on the two occasions Ange Postecoglou has led his rejuvenated side back to the national stadium.
There has been a double success with hard-fought victories over St Johnstone, then the trophy holders, in the semi-final with substitute James Forrest emerging as the matchwinner and then Hibs in the Final when the team rallied after conceding a goal early in the second-half.
Kyogo Furuhashi netted two breathtaking goals to make certain the silverware was once again bedecked in green and white ribbons.
Now for today’s Scottish Cup last-four meeting – and that nineteenth celebration.
Here is Celtic’s Hampden record during the sequence of success in which today’s opponents have already been vanquished four times.
2016/17
LEAGUE CUP
Semi-final:
CELTIC 1 Rangers 0
Dembele
Final:
CELTIC 3 Aberdeen 0
Rogic, Forrest, Dembele pen
Scottish Cup
Semi-final:
CELTIC 2 Rangers 1
McGregor, Sinclair (pen)
Final:
CELTIC 2 Aberdeen 1
Armstrong, Rogic
MATCHWINNER…Tom Rogic yells in delight after netting his memorable goal against Aberdeen in the 2017 Scottish Cup Final.
*****
2017/18
LEAGUE CUP
Semi-final:
CELTIC 4 Hibs 2
Lustig (2), Dembele (2)
Final:
CELTIC 2 Motherwell 0
Forrest, Dembele pen
SCOTTISH CUP
Semi-final:
CELTIC 4 Rangers 0
Rogic, McGregor, Dembele (pen), Ntcham (pen)
Final:
CELTIC 2 Motherwell 0
McGregor, Ntcham
FRENCH FANCY…Olivier Ntcham celebrates his goal against Motherwell in the 2018 Scottish Cup Final with Scott Brown about to add his congratulations.
***
2018/19
LEAGUE CUP
Semi-final
CELTIC 3 Hearts 0
Sinclair (pen), Forrest, Christie
Final:
CELTIC 1 Aberdeen 0
Christie
SCOTTISH CUP
Semi-final:
CELTIC 3 Aberdeen 0
Forrest, Edouard pen, Rogic
Final:
CELTIC 2 Hearts 1
Edouard (2, 1 pen)
HAMPDEN HERO – AT THE DOUBLE…Odsonne Edouard celebrates his second goal in the 2-1 win over Hearts in the 2019 Scottish Cup Final. Scott Sinclair and James Forrest join in.
***
2019/20
LEAGUE CUP
Semi-final:
CELTIC 5 Hibs 2
Elyounoussi (2), McGregor, Brown (2)
Final:
CELTIC 1 Rangers 0
Jullien
SCOTTISH CUP
Semi-final:
CELTIC 2 Aberdeen 0
Christie, Elyounoussi
FINAL
CELTIC 3 Hearts 3 (After extra-time; Celtic win 4-3 on pens)
Christie, Edouard (pen), Griffiths
SMILES BETTER…Christopher Jullien races away after scoring the 2019 League Cup winner against the Ibrox opponents. Odsonne Edouard is about to join in the celebrations.
***
2021/22
LEAGUE CUP
Semi-final:
CELTIC 1 St Johnstone 0
Forrest
Final:
CELTIC 2 Hibs 1
Kyogo (2)
HAMPDEN HAPPY DAYS…Kyogo Furuhashi congratulates James Forrest on his winner against St Johnstone in the Premier Sports League Cup semi-final in November 2021.
FOOTNOTE: We have taken a little bit of poetic licence in this tale. Murrayfield was the Hampden substitute venue in 2018 when Celtic won 3-0 in the League Cup semi-final against Hearts. Otherwise, it was business as usual on the south side of Glasgow.
* DON’T miss the unbeatable match report and best action images from Celtic v Rangers this afternoon – only in your champion CQN.
