CELTIC will face Hibs at Parkhead next month after this evening’s late-night Scottish Cup quarter-final draw.
Coincidentally, the clubs met in early stages of the Premier Sports League Cup in Glasgow in August where a double from Daizen Maeda and one from Nicolas Kuhn gave the hosts a 3-1 triumph.
The Hoops have also won both league games, 2-0 at Easter Road in the second Premiership match of the campaign and 3-0 at Parkhead in December.
The Edinburgh got through after a last-gasp winner from Rocky Bushiri knocked out Scott Brown’s Ayr United in the Friday night meeting at Somerset Park.
Brendan Rodgers maintained his sequence of successive wins in the competition in the 19th outing with the holders’ 5-0 home triumph over Championship outfit Raith Rovers with Maeda firing in a hat-trick and Luke McCowan and Yang Hyun-jun adding the others.
It was a comprehensive performance from the champions who nudged closer to the club’s ninth treble with the romp against Fifers.
THREE CHEERS…hat-trick hero Daizen Maeda with the match ball.
The Premiers Sports League Cup returned to the Parkhead trophy room after the absence of only a year when the Hoops beat Rangers 5-4 on penalty-kicks at Hampden after a 3-3 stalemate in December.
And, of course, Rodgers’ side sit 13 points ahead at the Premiership pinnacle as they zero in on their fourth consecutive flag, their thirteenth championship in 14 years and their 55th crown in their celebrated history.
Queen’s Park’s reward for dimissing Philippe Clement’s side 1-0 at Ibrox is a tie at Aberdeen while Livingston are at home to St Johnstone.
Earlier this evening, Hearts had ex-Celt Craig Gordon to thank as the 42-year-old keeper saved two penalty-kicks in his side’s 4-2 spot-kick shoot-out success against St Mirren in Paisley after the tie had ended 1-1 after extra-time.
They have a home draw against Dundee, the side they thrashed 6-0 at Dens Park earlier this month.
The silverware showpiece showdown is scheduled for Hampden on Saturday, May 24.
QUARTER-FINAL DRAW:
CELTIC v Hibs
Livingston v St Johnstone
Aberdeen v Queen’s Park
Hearts v Dundee
The games are due for the weekend of March 8.
