It was a first half of high entertainment in the Old Firm derby which saw six goals shared between the sides at the break. Jack Roberts put the Light Blues ahead before the 20th minute mark before Celtic turned the game quickly on its head through a quickfire double from Mitchel Frame and Corey Thomson.
Rangers responded through a second from Roberts before they then fell behind again through Daniel Kelly’s goal. A superb solo run and finish from Archie Stevens was to follow as the Gers once again responded.
Findlay Curtis fired Rangers back in front from the penalty spot at the start of the second half before Celtic again responded through a Leyton Grant own goal. A moment of controversy then turned the match with Zak Lovelace sent off for two bookable offences for simulation. The Gers held on with the man disadvantage to take the game to extra time, but goals from striker Daniel Cummings and Lewis Dobbie saw Celtic pull clear to claim victory despite Tyler Pasnik’s well taken finish giving the Gers hope with two minutes to play at the end.
The Light Blues almost made the dream start at the national stadium after just a minute on the clock. Left-back Cameron Scott did well to close down Celtic goalkeeper Jamie Meikle whose deflected clearance fell to the feet of Archie Stevens inside the area. He pounced on the loose ball before a coming together with the shotstopper saw the referee blow for a foul as the ball was fired into the empty net in a frantic opening.
Celtic had their best chance of the contest after seven minutes in Glasgow. Mitchell Frame found himself in a promising position deep down the left channel; pulling the ball back he found Corey Thomson unmarked but he fired his left footed effort well over the top of the bar.
The Gers pounced on another goalkeeping mistake which was intercepted by Stevens in the final third. He pulled the ball across goal looking for Zak Lovelace but the striker dragged his shot wide of the target.
Rangers took the lead just before the 20th minute mark after a promising start in the final. Kerr Robertson latched onto the loose bouncing ball in the middle of the park as he sent a pass in behind the opposing defence to the on-running Jack Roberts. Taking the ball in his stride, the striker composed himself before sliding the ball under Meikle and into the net as the Light Blues struck first at Hampden Stadium.
Celtic equalised just over five minutes later through Mitchell Frame as they got back on level terms. The winger combined with striker Daniel Cummings inside the penalty area before dispatching the ball beyond Jacob Pazikas at the near post to level up the match.
Corey Thomson was on hand to put Celtic ahead just two minutes later as they completed a quick turnaround. The forward chopped inside before firing the ball into the far corner on his left side as they struck twice in quick succession.
Just shortly after, and beyond the 30th minute mark, it was Rangers who were again to strike in what was an entertaining opening period in Glasgow. Lovelace found himself in acres of space down the right channel as he had swapped wings for the time being. He acknowledged Roberts better placed at the far post as he squared the ball across to the striker to tap home the equaliser and his second of the night.
The goals kept coming at Hampden as Celtic went ahead again as it was chances galore in a frantic first half. Cummings tried his luck from the right side of the box which was pushed away by Pazikas but Daniel Kelly was quickest to react as he turned home a third to restore their advantage.
The Gers settled into a period of possession and clever passages of play after a furry of opportunities. After several interchanges down the right-hand side the ball was worked inside to Bailey Rice who opened the play to Scott on the other channel. Cutting the ball back to the midfielder, he tried his luck from distance but his curling effort flashed wide.
A solo strike two minutes from half time brought a sixth goal of the night and it was the Gers who found yet another equaliser. Roberts played in Stevens just inside the Celtic half as the winger opted to travel with the ball towards goal; with Lovelace’s run taking several defenders away it opened up the space for the Rangers number 11 to drive into and his left-footed strike across the goal found the corner to bring them back on level terms once again before the break.
The Gers came out the blocks quickly at the start of the second period and almost got their reward. Findlay Curtis picked up the ball in a promising position as he drove into the space and used Lovelace to his left. The striker worked the ball onto his right side with multiple stepovers but his effort was blocked by Mitchell Robertson as the chance went begging.
The Gers had a golden chance to go back in front after Josh Dede fouled Lovelace inside the area on the 50th minute mark. The striker squared up the full-back, showing quick feet as he went beyond him before being brought down as the referee pointed to the spot. Curtis stepped up and dispatched the ball brilliantly into the bottom corner to fire Rangers in front as they completed a turnaround of their own.
Celtic were to respond once again, however, after a spell in the game with few opportunities. Frame got himself down the inside left channel, firing a dangerous ball across goal he looked for Cummings for a tap but in, with the unfortunate Leyton Grant’s attempted clearance turned into his own net.
Several changes were made as the contest settled down momentarily at the national stadium. Clear cut opportunities became minimal for the first time as the game entered the final 15 minutes at Hampden.
The contest then took a turn as a moment of controversy arrived with Zak Lovelace shown a second yellow card for simulation. Driving into the penalty area, the striker thought he had won a second penalty of the night after Benny-Jackson Luyeye’s attempted challenge, but the referee showed the Englishman a second yellow card.
Locked level at the national stadium with eight goals shared the sides went to extra time with an additional 30 minutes to be played in Glasgow. Celtic then took the lead at the start of extra time as they made the most of having the extra man. Substitute Jude Bonnar played in a dangerous ball from deep on the left channel into the area which was met by striker Daniel Cummings who volleyed home from close range.
Lewis Dobbie put the game beyond doubt for Celtic with eight minutes of extra time left to play as his back-heeled finish from close range was enough to beat Pazikas.
Rangers found a late goal with 121 minutes on the clock. Zak McKay did well on the left flank as his cut back found fellow substitute Tyler Pasnik who fired a well-placed shot into the bottom left-hand corner. However, the strike came little too late for the Gers as Celtic held on with the minutes that remained.
RANGERS: Pazikas, Hutton (McKay 61), Webster, Grant, Scott (Wyllie 87), Rice (Adamson 99), Robertson (Nsio 61), Curtis, Lovelace, Stevens (Eadie 93), Roberts (Pasnik 61)
SUBS: Munn
CELTIC: Meikle (Gill 45), Dede (Luyeye 78), Mackenzie, Agbaire, Robertson, Ure, Hatton (Dobbie 69), Kelly, Cummings (Turley 108), Thomson (Haddow 86), Frame (Bonnar 86)
SUBS: Davidson
REFEREE: Sean Murdoch
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