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Showing posts with the label Scottish Cup

Celtic still on course for domestic treble

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Celtic 2 - 0 Hibernian Daizen Maeda's 27th goal of the season and a stoppage-time strike from Adam Idah kept Celtic's treble dream alive as they edged past Hibernian in a hard-fought Scottish Cup quarter-final. Author - Sean M Stadium - Celtic Park Hibs, without a Scottish Cup win at Celtic Park since 1902, once again left empty-handed after Maeda struck just before half-time to extend the visitors’ misery. The Japan international’s ruthless finish – his 13th goal in as many games – came after Jordan Smith had produced a fine save to deny Nicolas Kuhn, only for Maeda to pounce and rifle the rebound high into the net. It was a moment of redemption for the forward, who had earlier squandered a glorious chance, blazing over the bar when it seemed easier to score. Smith, who recently signed a new deal with Hibs, kept his side in contention with two excellent first-half saves – first tipping away Callum McGregor’s low drive and then reacting sharply to deny Reo Hatate from close...

Kartum double fires Hearts into Scottish Cup last four

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Hearts 3 - 1 Dundee Sander Kartum lit up Tynecastle with two superb goals as Hearts booked their place in the Scottish Cup semi-finals at the expense of Dundee. Author - Mark Lee Stadium - Tynecastle Park The January signing from Brann broke his Hearts duck with a stunning strike from 20 yards to give the hosts a first-half advantage. Joe Shaughnessy nodded in Ziyad Larkeche's cross for parity after the interval but Simon Murray's headed own goal from Blair Spittal's free-kick put the hosts ahead again. And Kartum spun and sliced a low shot through the Dundee defence to ensure Neil Critchley's side progressed to the last four. Elton Kabangu, Calem Nieuwenhof and Alan Forrest were denied by Trevor Carson as Hearts pressed for a more emphatic victory. However, many fans would have accepted a fairly routine victory to reach the semi-finals. Critchley and his players can spend the next three days sizing up their potential opponents on the weekend of 19 and 20 April. The...

Celtic prepare for Champions League by thrashing Raith

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 Celtic 5 - 0 Raith Rovers Daizen Maeda hit a landmark 50 goals for Celtic as his stunning hat-trick fired the holders into the Scottish Cup quarter-finals with a dominant 5-0 victory over Raith Rovers. Author - Sean M Stadium - Celtic Park Brendan Rodgers made sweeping changes, bringing in nine fresh faces to the starting XI, but it was business as usual at Celtic Park as the Hoops extended their formidable unbeaten home run to 32 matches—just one shy of the record set by Gordon Strachan’s 2007 side. Second-half strikes from Luke McCowan and Yang Hyun-Jun put Celtic firmly in control before Maeda rounded off his treble, latching onto a superb assist from McCowan. The Japanese forward, who had already bagged a brace before half-time to shatter Raith’s resistance, now boasts 21 goals for the season—proving himself an able replacement for the departed Kyogo Furuhashi, with six goals in his last three outings. More news from the Scottish Cup Celtic’s strength in depth on display I...

There's been a huge shock at Ibrox in the Scottish Cup

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Rangers 0 - 1 Queen's Park Championship side Queen’s Park pulled off one of the biggest upsets in Scottish Cup history by knocking Rangers out of the competition in their last-16 clash at Ibrox. Author - Mark Lee Stadium - Ibrox The shock result is set to have major repercussions for Rangers boss Philippe Clement, as it marks the first time since the 1966-67 season that the club has been eliminated from the Scottish Cup by lower-league opposition. The hero of the day was Queen’s Park goalkeeper Calum Ferrie, who produced a dramatic stoppage-time penalty save to deny James Tavernier and seal a historic victory. It had been 142 years since Queen’s Park last beat Rangers in the Scottish Cup, with their previous success coming in 1882 during the second round of the "Glasgow and Suburbs" section. Now, Scotland’s oldest league club have booked their place in the quarter-finals for the first time since 1983. Their match-winner in 2025 was Seb Drozd, who capitalised on Ranger...

Celtic begin Scottish Cup defence

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Celtic 2 - 1 Kilmarnock Daizen Maeda’s second-half goal ensured Celtic began their defence of the Scottish Cup with a hard-fought win over Premiership rivals Kilmarnock. Author - Sean M The victory preserved Brendan Rodgers' unbeaten record in this competition across his two spells in charge. However, after an early spell of dominance, his league-leading side were pushed to their limits by a spirited Kilmarnock. Celtic signalled their intent from the first whistle. Within 20 seconds, Nicolas Kuhn raced through but took a heavy touch, colliding with goalkeeper Robbie McCrorie, who had to be replaced by Kieran O’Hara. Despite this setback, Kilmarnock came close to opening the scoring. Fraser Murray won and took a free-kick, his curling effort rattling the crossbar. Moments later, Kuhn surged forward and set up Maeda, but the forward couldn’t convert. Click here to discover more Celtic news and stories from European Super Football What else has been happening across Scotland? ...

Hearts survive scare against Brechin

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Brechin City 1 - 4 Hearts Hearts staged a comeback to comfortably see off Highland League side Brechin City, securing their place in the fifth round of the Scottish Cup. Author - Mark Lee Brechin took an early lead thanks to a stunning 35-yard strike from Scott Bright, a first-half substitute making just his second appearance for the Angus club. Neil Critchley’s Premiership side seemed to struggle with the challenging conditions, but a moment of magic brought them level before half-time. Yan Dhanda curled a superb effort past Lenny Wilson to equalise. Click here for more news and stories from across Scotland Hearts went ahead early in the second half when Elton Kabangu delivered a dangerous cross into the Brechin box. Defender Kevin McHattie’s attempted clearance inadvertently sent the ball goalwards, with Kenneth Vargas close by, adding pressure. Kabangu then opened his account for Hearts with a well-taken goal, converting James Wilson's precise pass. The home side’s captain, ...

Scotland: Celtic win the double

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 Celtic 1 - 0 Rangers Celtic won the double and Rangers ended the season with nohing. Adam Idah emerged as  Celtic's  last-minute hero  under the bright Hampden sun. 🏆⬆️ Relive all the action as Adam Idah's late winner sparked incredible scenes in the @CelticFC end, with the Hoops lifting the @scottishgas Men's Scottish Cup at Hampden Park. This is your Story of the Final. #ScottishCup pic.twitter.com/JV0jpjtaFX — Scottish Gas Scottish Cup (@ScottishCup) May 27, 2024 With the Scottish  Cup's  fate hanging in the balance and the game deadlocked at 0-0, extra-time seemed inevitable. However, Paulo Bernardo, a substitute for Reo Hatate, took control.  As the  Rangers  defence hesitated, Bernardo unleashed a stunning 25-yard strike that baffled goalkeeper Jack Butland with its swerving path. Seizing the opportunity, Republic of Ireland forward Adam Idah sprinted at full speed to reach the deflected ball before Butland could recover. The ...

Scotland: Celtic progress to Scottish Cup Final

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Celtic 3 - 3 Aberdeen Celtic won 6-5 on penalties Celtic clinched victory on penalties in a thrilling match at Hampden Park, securing their spot in the Scottish Cup final and leaving Aberdeen fans devastated. The game was a nail-biting affair, with both teams showcasing their skill in a tense shootout. Joe Hart, Celtic's goalkeeper, had the opportunity to seal the win with his team's fifth penalty, but his shot hit the post, keeping the game on a knife-edge. Yet, Hart redeemed himself by saving Killian Phillips' penalty, securing Celtic's victory. Now, Celtic awaits the outcome of the match between Hearts and Rangers next month, as they aim to claim the prestigious Scottish Cup for a record-breaking 42nd time. The match itself was nothing short of extraordinary, with Aberdeen delivering two late equalisers to keep the contest alive. Angus MacDonald's header in the 119th minute seemed to complete a remarkable comeback after his earlier mistake had led to Celtic...

Scotland: Celtic move closer to another Treble

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 Celtic 1 - 0 Rangers Celtic booked their place in the 2023 Scottish Cup final after a tense 1-0 win over Rangers. They will Inverness Caledonian Thistle in the first weekend of June as their hunt for another treble continues. Jota was the hero for the Hoops, heading home from inside the six-yard box just three minutes before half-time. A 50/50 split in the crowd meant, there was plenty of colour and noise on either side of Hampden Park. In the opening few minutes of the match, that incredible atmosphere carried on. The opening 10 minutes were a cagey affair. Celtic's backline had to deal with a raft of aerial balls forward, but once Celtic got a hold of the ball their possession and composure followed. Half-chances came and went for either side, but it was Allan McGregor that was the first to be tested on 27 minutes when Alistair Johnston let rip from 20 yards.  WHAT. AN. ATMOSPHERE. 😍 "One of the true great fixtures in the game we love so much...Glasgow does rivalry ...