CELTIC will face Michael Beale’s Ibrox side in the Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden next month.
It’s a quickfire return to the national stadium for both teams with Ange Postecoglou’s side winning last month’s Viaplay League Cup Final encounter 2-1 with a double from Kyogo Furuhashi.
It is also an action replay of last season’s semi-final where the Hoops’ hopes of a domestic treble in Postecoglou’s debut campaign were scuppered by an extra-time own goal by Carl Starfelt.
HAMPDEN WINNERS…Callum McGregor holds aloft the Viaplay League Cup followng the 2-1 derby triumph last month.
The Glasgow clubs are also due to play their third Premiership match of the term next month with the Govan outfit due at the east end of Glasgow on April 8.
The Hoops won the first derby of the crusade 4-0 in September with goals from Liel Abada (2), Filipe Jota and David Turnbull.
The return at Ibrox on January 2 ended 2-2 with Daizen Maeda and Kyogo on target for the visitors.
The Hoops last won the trophy in December 2020 when a Kristoffer Ajer penalty-kick sealed the spot-kick shoot-out 4-3 following a 3-3 extra-time draw with Hearts. The victory completed the club’s phenomenal quadruple treble.
The spectacular sequence kicked off in 2017 when Tom Rogic claimed the late winner in the 2-1 victory over Aberdeen and a year later Callum McGregor and Olivier Ntcham were on the mark in the 2-0 success over Motherwell.
On the iconic date of May 25 in 2019 Odsonne Edouard took centre stage with a double in the 2-1 triumph over the Tynecastle side.
TWELVE IN A ROW…Kristoffer Ajer thunders a penalty-kick past Hearts keeper Craig Gordon to win the 2020 Scottish Cup for Celtic to complete the amazing quadruple treble.
In the other last-four encounter, Falkirk will play Inverness Caley Thistle for the right to make it to the showpiece showdown on Saturday June 3.
John McGlynn’s League One side battled through with a 2-1 success over Ayr United this evening. In a dramatic finale, Chris Maguire walloped a penalty-kick off the Falkirk crossbar and two minutes later Frankie Musonda deflected an effort from Kai Kennedy into his own net for the winner.
The semi-final ties will be played at the end of next month. One will take place on Saturday, April 29 with the second match the following day. Both games will be held at Hampden.
