DERBY fixtures are often the ones footballers look for on the calendar, and this Sunday’s Old Firm clash is no different for Rangers winger Mia McAulay.
The youngster, who has relished this season’s derby meetings, scoring on both occasions, including a memorable Friday night winner under the lights at Ibrox back in November, will be looking to repeat the feat once again.
Preparing to face off for a place in the Sky Sports Cup final when the two meet in the last four clash at Broadwood, speaking to RangersTV, she is relishing the opportunity to try take a step closer to silverware once again, McAulay said: “These are the games players want to play in, the biggest games, you want to play against Celtic, you want to play against all the top teams.
“The girls need to be ready, and I am sure we will be.
“There is always a different excitement going into Old Firm games.
“We have really good memories from them, obviously, this season so far, the team against Celtic has been amazing, we have come out with two wins so far.
“To go into the semi-final and play them, hopefully we can do it again.”
It is a competition that has been good to the Gers in previous years, winning it three times on the bounce with the 19-year-old scoring in her first-ever cup final when the Light Blues retained the trophy on the first occasion back in March 2024.
She is hopeful of achieving that success once again, feeling it could set the side up for an exciting end to the campaign. She continued: “We have been really lucky to have gone out and won it three times in the past three years.
“Obviously, to play in it and score in it is amazing for the team as well. It is our trophy, and we want to retain it.
"Go out and win this, and it really could put us in a good place for the rest of the season.
“Go out, get more points and hopefully book us in finals to come as well.”
Rangers are currently seven games unbeaten, including six wins, with McAulay highlighting the impact in the dressing room their Head Coach has had since her arrival and taking her first job in management back in August.
She added: “The togetherness in the group is amazing this season. Leanne [Crichton] has brought a real calmness to us.
“We are playing really good football right now. I just hope that we can keep it up.”
You can get your hands on tickets to back the Gers and try roar them to a fourth Sky Sports Cup final in a row here, kicking off at 13:40 this Sunday, February 1, in Cumbernauld.
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