The first silverware of the Scottish season is on the line as the Old Firm rivals collide in the Scottish League Cup final.
Celtic and Rangers meet at Hampden Park as the competition’s two most successful clubs renew hostilities in Glasgow. Philippe Clement may be yet to test victory in this fixture since arriving at Ibrox but it is his side who are the defending champions after a narrow win against Aberdeen last December. Their hopes of victory today were also boosted by a highly encouraging showing in the Europa League, with a draw against Tottenham the latest in a string of good performances in Europe.
Domestically, though, it is the defending Scottish Premiership champions who are streaking clear. Celtic are yet to lose in the league this season and are already nine points clear of their closest challengers with a game in hand. Having missed out on this trophy last year, Brendan Rodgers will be looking to keep his hopes of winning a third treble at the club alive having previously achieved the feat in both 2017 and 2018.
Follow all of the latest from the Scottish League Cup final in our live blog below:
GOAL! 86’ – Celtic 3-2 Rangers
Danilo for Bajrami in another Rangers sub. Only five minutes left on the clock but as it stands, he’ll be playing extra time too. Unless…
GOAL! Kuhn to Engels down the right channel, a cut-back straight into the path of Kuhn once more and he absolutely buries his chance, right-footed, past Butland, into the net low and central.
It’s 3-2 to Celtic and with just a few left to play!
82’ – Celtic 2-2 Rangers
Kuhn wins back the ball, dribbles past two and finds Idah – he goes down in the box but it’s no foul, no penalty. Well inside the final ten now and it’s getting fractious.
Bajrami beats his man in the box at the opposite end of the pitch and wallops in a shot but only finds the side netting.
78’ – Celtic 2-2 Rangers
Adam Idah on for Kyogo for Celtic – he scored a last-minute Scottish Cup final winner in a meeting between these teams at the end of last season. The Irishman will hope for a similar impact here.
What have we got left to happen in the final ten minutes?!
GOAL! 74’ – Celtic 2-2 Rangers
Igamane hasn’t had too much in terms of clear sights of goal but he has one now – and totally fluffs his lines, shanking a shot from ten yards out and miskicking entirely.
But there’s another chance soon after a Scales error which leads to a corner – and this time Diomande’s touch is good, his first shot on the spin does enough to flummox Schmeichel – and it’s in and over the line! 2-2 and all square again!
72’ – Celtic 2-1 Rangers
Rodgers’ turn to go to the bench now and Celtic go for a double sub. Engels and Ralston on for Johnston and Bernardo.
Just under 20 minutes to go and the Bhoys have this under control at present – the emphasis very much on Rangers to find another gear and raise their attacking play, which hasn’t really been in evidence since that chance early in the second half.
Cerny has a go now from range and it’s fiercely struck, but easily saved.
68’ – Celtic 2-1 Rangers
Dujon Sterling is on for Leon Balogun for Rangers, while they also made a change in around those quickfire goals – left-back Jefte was replaced by Yilmaz as Kuhn has had him on toast.
Yellow card for Kyogo for a late foul and a few too many words of complaint.
Yilmaz then runs onto a bouncing ball and smashes a half-volley almost out of the stadium – not quite troubling Schmeichel that one.
64’ – Celtic 2-1 Rangers
What a rapid turnaround that was – now Rangers have to pick themselves up and just get a foothold in the game. They had a four-on-one chance remember, spurned it, and within five or six minutes they’ve gone from winning to losing.
The Gers want a penalty as Carter-Vickers goes flying into a tackle in the box, but actually the Celtic defender gets the decision as his clearance was met by a late boot from a blue shirt. The atmosphere in the ground has totally turned.
GOAL! 60’ – Celtic 2-1 Rangers
The tide has totally turned since that goal – Kuhn is running Rangers ragged and frees Kyogo for another chance which is saved.
Green and white shirts are flooding forward…and the turnaround is immediately complete!!
A bouncing ball in midfield sees Maeda quickest to it, his control is brilliant from a dropping ball and a left-footed finish is tucked under Butland to suddenly have Celtic 2-1 ahead!
What a turnaround.
GOAL! 56’ – Celtic 1-1 Rangers
Kuhn has been about the only consistent positive outlet for Celtic and he beats his man again to get a shot away this time, but Butland blocks it near post. Johnston then crosses low for Kyogo who sees his near-post shot diverted around the post – but from the corner it’s 1-1!
The set piece is only half-cleared, Greg Taylor swings a left foot at it and the ball is deflected late past Butland who has already gone to ground and it’s in off Raskin – all square!
54’ – Celtic 0-1 Rangers
Rangers should be 2-0 up. Again they win the ball in midfield and suddenly it’s four on one, really, four on one…but Carter-Vickers lunges in to make a must-win challenge and just about manages to cut the attempted cross out and divert it behind for a corner.
Great individual defending, shocking team play, massive missed chance for Rangers.
From the corner Schmeichel and Igamane clash and both go to ground, but the ref tells them to get on with it. Bernardo shoved the forward into his goalkeeper anyway.