RANGERS 0 CELTIC 0 (AET): Celtic win 4-2 on pens
CELTIC overcame fatigue to win a dramatic penalty-kick encounter to earn a place in the Scottish Cup semi-final at Ibrox this afternoon.
Martin O’Neill’s side refused to buckle under pressure during the two hours of football before the tension-laden encounter went to penalty-kicks.
Liam Scales lost the toss for the home side to be handed the advantage of taking the spot-kicks in front of their own fans in the Copeland Road.
It mattered not a jot to the Hoops who held their nerve to score all four as they progressed 4-2 on spot-kicks.
An eventful encounter was eventually settled when James Tavernier walloped the first attempt off the top of the crossbar.
Advantage Celtic and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain stepped up to make an expert job of the champions’ first kick.
HAPPY DAYS – FOR A MOMENT…Daizen Maeda races away with Benjamin Nygren in pursuit after scoring what looked like the opening goal – until VAR stepped in.
Nedim Bajrami netted for the home side before Auston Trusty, who had been excellent throughout the action, tucked his effort low into Jack Butland’s left-hand corner of the net.
Then it was down to Ryan Naderi who just managed to squeeze his attempt under Sinisalo’s right hand.
Reo Hatate, who missed a penalty-kick at the same venue a week ago, made no mistake with a sweeping low drive to the keeper’s left.
As strain told on Danny Rohl’s side, Djeidi Gassama fired wildly over the bar.
All eyes were on Tomas Cvancara to hit the decisive penalty-kick and he made no mistake with a drive that flew unerringly into the net.
And as the ball nestled in the back of the net, O’Neill and his players celebrated a remrakable triumph.
It was a day for heroes in the team’s fourth consecutive away games that has seen three successes in Stuttgart, Pittodrie and Ibrox as well as a draw in Govan a week ago.
It’s a phenomenal sequence from the Celts with a depleted squad and who went into this confrontation without the leadership qualities of injured duo Callum McGregor and Kieran Tierney.
In fact, Celtic were denied what looked like an excellent opening goal in the 35th minute in the tightest of offside circumstances.
Luke McCowan sent over a right-wing corner-kick that was cleared straight back to the midfielder.
On this occasion, McCowan dragged the ball to his left foot before whipping over an enticing cross that saw Liam Scales flick the ball to the back post where Daizen Maeda came hurtling in to get his head to the ball.
His powerful six-yard effort was touched by the scrambling Butland onto the inside of his right-hand post and the ricochet took the ball into the net.
CRUNCH…Daizen Maeda is sent flying by a wayward challenge from Dujon Sterling as Martin O’Neill appeals for a free-kick and Danny Rohl looks on.
The 7,500 Hoops fans in the packed Broomloan Road stand rose in unison to greet what they believed was the breakthrough goal, but their joy was ended abruptly when Andrew Dallas, on VAR, spotted Scales’ left heel was in an illegal position in the build-up.
It was a cruel blow for the visitors who has weathered an early storm to fight back into the contest to get a foothold in the game.
Mohamed Diomande was booked inside two minutes for clattering into Julian Araujo and referee Don Robertson also produced a yellow card for Scales later in the first-half.
Mikey Moore was lucky to escape any sort of punishment when he cynically wiped out Benjamin Nygren as Celtic broke forward in numbers. A bewildering oversight by the match official.
Little had been seen of Yang Hyun-jun on the right, but Sebastian Tounekti began to show on the left wing after the half-hour mark.
However, the Tunisian almost paid a heavy price for some sloppy play as half-time approached when he allowed Dujon Sterling to take possession before hurtling down the wing.
He whipped over an inviting cross, but Youssef Chermiti miscontrolled the ball and his finishing attempt cleared the crossbar.
Reo Hatate was working hard in the middle of the park in the enforced absence of McGregor and was forced to take on urgent defensive duties when the hosts broke forward.
He did not fail his manager, his team-mates, the supporters or himself. The icing on the cake was his successful penalty-kick in the shoot-out.
Shortly after the interval, Sinisalo, who looked in commanding form throughout the afternoon, raced well outside his box to clear a wayward passback from McCowan with Chermiti bearing down on goal.
In the 57th minute, Martin O’Neill made his first changes as he sent on Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Tomas Cvancara for McCowan and Tounekti. Maeda moved to the left wing to accommodate the towering Czech Republic international through the middle.
Four minutes later, Dane Murray entered the action as he replaced Arthur.
In the 79th minute, O’Neill introduced Joel Mvuka and evergreen James Forrest for the tiring Yang and Maeda.
Sterling was booked for bringing down Maeda as he broke clear. The Japanese international may have fired blanks yet again, but no-one could complain about his work-rate against the Ibrox side.
NO GOAL…Tomas Cvancara, Liam Scales, James Forrest and Auston Trusty lead the appeals after the Ibrox side thought they had scored the breakthrough goal. VAR wiped it out for an obvious handball.
The game moved into extra-time and the hosts had the ball in the net in the 100th minute when Manny Fernandez rose to head on a Tavernier left-wing corner-kick.
However, it was clear Chermiti had used a fist to divert the ball past Sinisalo and the effort was rightly ruled out.
Three minutes later, Paulo Bernardo came on for Nygren as O’Neill took his last throw of the dice.
It was all very hectic as the encounter headed for penalty-kicks as Trusty, Murray and Scales – and Arthur before them – stood firm to replace a barrage of high balls.
And then the last-eight confrontation was finally decided with the Hoops making certain with each and every single spot-kick.
Well done, Bhoys!
Martin O’Neill and his heroes can now take a well-deserved bow.
TEAM: Sinisalo; Araujo, Arthur (sub: Murray 61), Trusty, Scales; Nygren (sub: Bernardo 103), Hatate, McCowan (sub: Oxlade-Chamberlain 57); Yang (sub: Mvuka 79), Maeda (sub: Forrest 79), Tounekti (sub: Cvancara 57).
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