Celtic secured their place in the Premier Sports Cup final with a 3-1 extra-time victory over Rangers at Hampden. The holders will face St Mirren on December 14 after a dramatic semi-final that saw the referee reduce Rangers to ten men for more than an hour.
Johnny Kenny opened the scoring for Celtic in the 25th minute.
The match's defining moment came seven minutes before halftime when Rangers midfielder Thelo Aasgaard received a straight red card for a high, studs-up challenge on Anthony Ralston.
Rangers showed remarkable resilience despite playing with ten men. Captain James Tavernier converted a penalty in the 81st minute to force extra time after Ralston's elbow blocked Djeidi Gassama's shot while diving.
Celtic's Extra-Time Dominance
Captain Callum McGregor rifled home from 25 yards three minutes after the restart to restore the lead.
Callum Osmand sealed the win on 109 minutes, scoring his first Celtic goal after converting Kieran Tierney's cross.
Refereeing Controversy
The match sparked heated debate over officiating decisions. Auston Trusty escaped with only a yellow card after his boot caught goalkeeper Jack Butland's head in first-half stoppage time. Rangers supporters questioned the consistency, with some arguing Celtic should have been reduced to nine men.
The victory provides interim manager Martin O'Neill with a timely boost following Brendan Rodgers' recent departure. O'Neill, who previously managed Celtic from 2000 to 2005, has suggested the club is actively seeking a permanent replacement ahead of the final.
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
