Rangers 0 Celtic 1
It will be of little consolation to Rangers that they caused Celtic far more anxiety than was the case during the teams’ recent visit on league business. WhereasBrendan Rodgers’ side cantered to a 5-1 victory then, this time it took the late, late intervention of Moussa Dembélé to seal Celtic’s place in the League Cup final.
On the balance of play, Celtic’s success was deserved. They had also seen an apparently legitimate goal disallowed long before Dembélé charged onto a Leigh Griffiths cross and flicked home. And yet Rangers had defended stoutly to the extent that Mark Warburton could at least point to improvement. What Rangers lacked was a suitable cutting edge. In Dembélé, Celtic have an increasingly valuable marksman.
The first half had been notable for a booking issued to Rangers’ Barrie McKay for a dive inside Celtic’s penalty area. Dembélé escaped punishment for the same at the opposite end.
Chances were few and far between, save for one handed to Celtic as the Rangers goalkeeper Matt Gilks and Jason Holt got into an almighty fankle when passing the ball between themselves. Perhaps not believing his own luck, Tom Rogic fluffed his lines when an opportunity was duly afforded.
Controversy arrived within five minutes of the restart when Craig Thomson, the referee, decided that Erik Sviatchenko had fouled Clint Hill before heading home. Replays suggested the decision was questionable at best.
Rangers’ key chance of the game arrived after 57 minutes. Holt, only 10 yards out, saw his effort blocked by Jozo Simunovic. Celtic’s opportunities fell to Sinclair and Sinclair before the former Aston Villa wide player watched a free-kick rebound from Rangers’ crossbar.
A raft of substitutions always threatened to be significant. Griffiths and Stuart Armstrong offered impetus to Celtic’s attacking play. Griffiths, who has endured a frustrating time on the sidelines for club and country recently, scampered away from Lee Wallace before feeding Dembélé. The finish was clever, just as the epic scale of Celtic’s celebration highlighted their earlier frustration. Aberdeen now lie in wait in next month’s final.
(Guardian service)
