Extra special Celtic take Scottish League Cup

March 16, 2009

GLASGOW (AFP) – Celtic lifted the first silverware of the Scottish season with a 2-0 extra-time victory over bitter rivals Rangers in the League Cup final on Sunday.

Republic of Ireland duo Darren O’Dea and Aiden McGeady were Celtic’s goalscoring stars in the additional 30 minutes at Hampden.

Celtic manager Gordon Strachan will now be aiming to lead his side to a fourth Scottish Premier League title to complete the double.

Strachan had sprung a surprise before kick-off, starting with Scott McDonald in a lone-striking role with his misfiring strike partners Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink and Georgios Samaras on the bench.

Rangers, meanwhile, had been robbed of the services of influential Algerian defender Madjid Bougherra, who was ruled out with a calf strain.

Although the Ibrox side had the upper hand in the opening exchanges there was little creativity on display.

The first real chance of the match did not arrive until the 16th minute.

Celtic’s Shunsuke Nakamura released McGeady on the left who crossed for McDonald but the Australian international headed wastefully over.

The Parkhead side were now in the driving seat and Scott Brown’s rising 25-yard drive worried Rangers goalkeeper Allan McGregor despite finally drifting too high.

In the 31st minute McGeady chipped the ball across goal towards the inrushing Brown but the Scottish international volleyed over from 10 yards.

Rangers weathered the storm and finally managed to test Celtic goalkeeper Artur Boruc in the final minute of the half.

Northern Ireland forward Kyle Lafferty spun to unleash a fierce shot from 18 yards which required the Polish international to dive to his left to palm away.

Boruc almost gifted Rangers the opener in the 60th minute when he tried to take the ball round Lafferty but just managed to scramble it clear.

At the other end a trademark free-kick from Japanese international Nakamura, in the 64th minute, forced McGregor to dive full-length to his left to push round the post.

McGregor was again called into action six minutes later to push away Brown’s angled drive.

From the resulting corner Dutch defender Glen Loovens looked to have put Strachan’s side ahead but his shot was booted off the line by Portuguese star Pedro Mendes.

Mendes tried to break the deadlock in the 82nd minute but his curling shot from 20 yards was a yard too high.

With only a minute played of extra-time Celtic were ahead through the unlikeliest of sources.

Nakamura’s free-kick from the left was met by Irish defender O’Dea who sent a header up and over McGregor into the net.

McDonald then screwed a shot wide when clean through on goal, before Samaras, who had replaced Paul Hartley in the 72nd minute, smashed a first-time shot over from 18 yards.

Rangers were clearly rattled and McGregor had to tip over Brown’s 25-yard drive in the 97th minute.

Nakamura then sent Samaras through on goal in the 101st minute but Celtic’s Greek striker shot straight at McGregor.

Celtic completed the victory from the penalty spot in the final seconds of extra-time, after Rangers defender Kirk Broadfoot’s crude challenge on McGeady, which earned the Rangers man a straight red card.

McGeady picked himself up to send McGregor the wrong way and secure the Cup for Celtic.

Written by: AFP

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