RANGERS edged a five-goal thriller to claim the Glasgow Cup against rivals Celtic in a 3-2 win at the City Stadium this evening.
After going ahead through Paul Nsio’s goal, Daniel Cummings fired in an equaliser as the two teams went in at the half time break locked level.
Cole McKinnon dispatched a well-taken half volley after the restart before substitute Samuel Isiguzo levelled up the match for a second time.
The game looked destined for penalty kicks before Zak Lovelace was on hand to fire home an 87th minute winner off the bench as the young Gers claimed silverware in Glasgow.
David McCallum’s men were seeking to get hands on the cup they last won in May 2022. The Light Blues were boosted prior to kick off with the inclusion of first teamers Rabbi Matondo and Oscar Cortes, who continued to build up their fitness having made a recent return from injury.
Celtic started the brighter of the two sides in the opening exchanges as the match started at a fast tempo. Winger Jude Bonnar was getting joy down the left flank and put in a couple of dangerous deliveries early on, but there were no takers at the far post despite creating the early openings.
After Rangers spent most of the early part of the game on the backfoot it was them that struck first in the cup final. A pass back from the Celtic defence towards goalkeeper Aidan Rice saw the shot stopper hesitate under the pressure of Oscar Cortes.
The winger did well to steal the ball deep inside the area as he got his head up in search of the arriving Paul Nsio, who dispatched the ball home from close range on his left side.
The hosts on the evening looked for an instant response. A defence splitting pass into the left-back position beyond Robbie Fraser was latched onto by Josh Dede, the number seven took it first time and fired it towards goal, but Mason Munn was level to the effort to keep it out.
Celtic did get the response they were looking for as frontman Daniel Cummings smartly dispatched the ball beyond Mason Munn inside the area. A pass through from Francis Turnley deflected off Zander Hutton which wrong footed fellow defender Clinton Nsiala, as the ball broke nicely for the striker who made no mistake by firing it into the far corner to level up proceedings.
After levelling up the match Celtic did continue to probe and were continuously getting joy down the left side. A delivery from Bonnar was half cleared and broke for the goalscorer of the equaliser Cummings, but this time he lacked the same composure as he fired well over the top of the target.
The Gers seemed to get most of their joy in the first half on the counter as a chance presented itself on the second phase of play in an attack. Zander Hutton was well advanced down the right flank and fired a wicked delivery across, Matondo was able to retrieve it after it evaded the bodies before moving the ball onto lone frontman Findlay Curtis, but he fired over from outside the area.
Cummings looked set to turn the game on its head but for some fantastic defence work from captain for the evening Fraser. Winger Bonnar once again the provider his cross was fired into the danger area and brought down by the striker just a few yards out from goal, he looked to pull the trigger but for the covering tackle from the full-back to clear the danger.
Rangers started the livelier of the two sides after the restart as they went in search of the next goal to put themselves ahead once again. Matondo and Cortes gained valuable minutes in terms of their individual fitness as they were replaced at the interval by Chris Eadie and Archie Stevens, who looked to instantly make an impact.
The Light Blues continued to probe as the woodwork denied them from taking the lead once again. Nsiala up from the back for a corner retrieved a Fraser cross before clipping it into the area. It was met by the head of Nsio who climbed highest before the outside of the post saved Celtic from going behind.
In the next phase of play however, Rangers retook the lead. Fraser, who was continuing to impress down the left flank, fired in a cross which could only be palmed to the edge of the area by Rice. It was met by the arriving Cole McKinnon who did well to keep his shot on the half volley down and fire it into the bottom corner as the Gers made the most of a fast start to the second period.
After falling behind for the second time on the evening, Celtic again went in search for a response after starting the second period slowly. A corner kick was whipped into the area and misjudged by keeper Munn; defender Lenny Agbaire looked as though he had would have the freedom of turning it in at the far post, but ran out of room at the angle as the Gers fractionally held onto their lead.
After a period in the game of few changes at either end but the hosts probing, they found their equaliser. A corner kick was initially cleared and following a ricochet it broke to the left side of the area; the ball was floated back across as substitute Samuel Isiguzo turned the ball over the line to level up proceedings for the second time on the night.
The substitute had a golden opportunity to turn the game completely on its head with seven minutes to go. A delivery into the box saw the forward unmarked inside the area but looped the ball over the top from close range.
Celtic continued to go in search of a winner towards the end. Having a number of corners and sustaining pressure with the game looming towards penalties for the second time in two finals.
Just as the game was destined for spot kicks, it was Rangers who under a period of pressure, managed to nick a late winner. A ball over the top saw hesitation in the Celtic backline, substitute Zak Lovelace pounced upon the opportunity as he fired the ball into the net with just minutes remaining at the City Stadium to claim the trophy for the Light Blues.
CELTIC: Rice, Donovan, Frame, Robertson, Agbaire, Ure, Dede, McArdle (Isiguzo 73), Cummings, Turley, Bonnar
SUBS: Morrison, Davidson, Bonetig, Kyle, Haddow, Dobbie
RANGERS: Munn, Hutton, King, Nsiala, Fraser, McKinnon, Rice, Nsio (Lovelace 70), Cortes (Stevens 45), Matondo (Eadie 45), Curtis
SUBS: McGuire, Campbell, Webster, Burnside