Celtic v Rangers: Scottish Cup semi-final – as it happened

Last modified: 12: 55 PM GMT+0

Callum McGregor and a Scott Sinclair penalty sent Celtic through to the Scottish Cup final in an Old Firm derby that they dominated throughout against a lacklustre Rangers

Celtic were on another level there. It would have been interesting to see if Rangers could have maintained their improvement immediately after half-time had Sinclair’s penalty, which effectively shut the game down, not happened – and Rangers rallied with a few decent efforts towards the end. But by then the game was lost and Celtic, particularly in the first half, just seemed in complete and utter control. They are way ahead of anyone in Scotland at the moment, just miles ahead, and can be strongly backed to secure their treble when they face Aberdeen in the final.

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Updated

Full-time: Celtic 2-0 Rangers

Celtic reach the Scottish Cup final! It was never really in doubt.

90+1 min: Dodoo does really well to control a long Wilson pass and thuds in a 20-yarder of his own that Gordon has to parry behind high to his left. Good effort, good save.

90 min: Almost a fine goal to crown the afternoon, Rogic thudding the outside of Foderingham’s post from 20 yards.

90 min: Celtic win a late corner and work it short, then winning a free-kick for Windass’s foul on Griffiths. They are marking time now. Three minutes of stoppage time will follow, and then they’ll be through.

88 min: Rogic is booked for a foul on Holt.

87 min: Great chance for Waghorn! Tavernier delivers well again from the right and Waghorn, in a great position at the far post, should at least hit the target with a diving header – but plonks it over. Surely that’s that now.

@NickAmes82 from the Celtic XI and subs, they never looked like getting beat, such a strong looking squad, crazy depth!!

— Ryan Sweeney (@ryansweeneycfc) April 23, 2017

Yep, they’re just on another level.

86 min: Rangers do attack again though, Waghorn causing some problems in the box with McKay’s help, before Forrest and Celtic can’t quite work the counter.

84 min: Looks as if that rally from Rangers has been nipped in the bud. That was their chance really, and they were only half-chances if we are honest.

82 min: One last Celtic change – Forrest on for Roberts.

80 min: Miller is getting closer! Dodoo does well down the right and his cross falls for the veteran, who finds space to shoot 12 yards out and is denied by Gordon’s legs! He claims a handball by Simunovic in the scramble afterwards but nothing is given and it’s optimistic to say the least. Much better from Rangers but surely all too late.

78 min: Simunovic is booked for scything McKay. Rangers a bit brighter in the last few minutes.

77 min: Oooooh, Miller again for Rangers, scampering onto a loose ball in familiar fashion and looking to lob Gordon. He’s not far off, his effort just drifting onto the roof of the net.

Updated

75 min: Yes, here is Rogic in place of McGregor – who scored that lovely opening goal a long while ago. What good strength in depth Celtic have. McKay gets to the byline in the meantime but Gordon gathers the cross easily.

73 min: Celtic are readying Rogic. This game is dying fast, but it’s the team in green and white that are doing what attacking there is.

70 min: Hyndman is replaced by Josh Windass for Rangers. Windass has 20 minutes to make a difference.

69 min: “There’s really only one team on the park, save for three minutes after the HT interval,” writes Alan Clark, and he is completely correct.

67 min: A bit of a lull at the moment. Sinclair is caught offside a bit carelessly.

64 min: If we are being honest though, these teams are just on completely different levels at the moment.

62 min: A first real chance for Rangers! Tavernier crosses very nicely and Miller, rising 12 yards out, flicks a header towards goal only to see Gordon gather well to his right. Rangers’ first effort on target, just after their first corner. It says plenty.

60 min: Griffiths is next to test Foderingham, but it’s a relatively straightforward save even if a slight fumble briefly gives Sinclair some encouragement about a rebound.

58 min: Foderingham, very busy now, saves again with a parry to his left from Roberts – who had linked cleverly with Griffiths before cutting one low towards goal.

57 min: Some hardcore Poznan action in the stands from Celtic’s fans. You sense Rangers need to muster up something very quickly if the party isn’t to become even more buoyant.

Updated

55 min: As a neutral – yes, a neutral – that second goal was a shame as Rangers looked full of intent that had been some time in coming. It is hard to see any other outcome than a comfortable Celtic win now though.

54 min: So nearly 3-0 there, Griffiths controlling a long Gordon clearance superbly and unleashing a volley that is sharply tipped over by Foderingham. Then Boyata heads just over after Simunovic nods the corner across goal.

52 min: Peter Van asks (just before that goal to be fair) – “I was expecting to watch this game on the telly, but all I have is an annoying blank screen so I have to go is your mbm. So, is it time to cash out? I had a tenner on Rangers to go through before the game because I rate Caixinha very highly, but from your mbm things look grim. Or is it just your blatant outrageous pro-Celtic bias at work? But really, my ten quid are gone right?”

I’m going to say that they are now, Peter.

Goal! Celtic 2-0 Rangers (Sinclair pen 51)

Via Foderingham’s fingertips and the post, it goes in – and that, despite signs of something better from Rangers, is surely that ...

Penalty to Celtic!

Rangers’ best spell of pressure suddenly turns into a swift Griffiths break, a rash Tavernier tackle in the box and a chance for 2-0 ...

Updated

49 min: Much better from Rangers, Tavernier breaking down the right and getting onto a McKay pass before Dodoo nearly tricks through on the left. A Waghorn long throw then causes some mild consternation but then ...

48 min: Rangers already look a step quicker and more combative. Can they turn it into something?

46 min: Miller wins an early free-kick for Rangers but McKay’s delivery is very poor and flies out for a goal kick. Perhaps he is just warming up.

Peeeeep! Second half underway ...

Celtic kick us off.

Half-time Rangers subs: McKay and Dodoo on for Halliday and Garner. Hopefully a little more trickery in there for the Gers now – and my word they need it.

The second half is soon to be upon us ... you’re all a bit quiet so by all means send in any observations/predictions/accusations of bias.

“Quick question for you,” writes Phil Withall. “When you cover Old Firm matches do you just receive missives of accusations of bias or are they more reasoned? Interested to know.”

Well, Phil, I don’t do many of them but when I have I’ve always found the interactions pretty pleasant. As is the case across our MBMs, I hasten to add, but I tend to find most of the aspersions cast towards my/our professionalism come from a minority of people supporting the big English or Spanish clubs, where paranoia appears to get the better of a few.

Half-time: Celtic 1-0 Rangers

Rangers will be glad to have kept it at 1-0 although they’ll need to show so much more if they’re to get back into this. It hasn’t been a procession of chances for Celtic, which might disappoint Rodgers, but they have been in complete and utter control even since Dembele went off with what seemed a hamstring pull. While it’s 1-0, though, it’s still well in the balance – so don’t go away!

45 min: Hyndman shows some great feet inside the Celtic half and that’s the first bit of flair or ingenuity we’ve seen from Rangers.

43 min: Tavernier fouls Sinclair for a free kick out on the left, but Armstrong’s delivery is simple for Foderingham.

42 min: Miller has some rather more noteworthy involvement now, getting a shot away from 22 yards but seeing it fly well off-target to ironic cheers from the Celtic support. At least Rangers have had a shot now.

40 min: Nice patient play from Celtic – yet again – before Armstrong finds Roberts in a criminal amount of space 16 yards out. He miscues from a good position although the ball almost dribbles through for Sinclair.

38 min: Roberts now makes for the box and is fouled just outside it on the right – it’s Beerman again and he really must be careful now. Griffiths goes for goal from the free-kick despite the tight angle and Foderingham beats the shot away.

36 min: Young Beerman, the 18-year-old, is booked for slicing through Roberts.

35 min: I had forgotten Kenny Miller was playing; he just laid a pass off and I swear that was his first involvement of the game.

34 min: Griffiths is waiting to come on but the ball has not gone out of play for absolutely ages. It does now via Lustig, and Celtic’s ranks go back up to 11.

32 min: They enjoy their first real period of possession, accordingly, but it’s mainly around the centre circle. Might build a bit of confidence though.

30 min: Celtic are, for now, down to 10 so perhaps Rangers can make some sort of impression on this game.

29 min: Simunovic heads the corner over. Griffiths doesn’t quite seem ready to come on – he appears to have trotted inside to get something.

28 min: Ah ... that’s the end of Dembele I’m afraid. He chases a loose defensive header into the corner, does superbly to win a corner by backheeling against Bates, but pulls up with what is quite clearly a hamstring injury in the process. He makes the old “substitution” sign and will probably be replaced by Leigh Griffiths. A plus for Rangers, this, although Griffiths is pretty handy himself.

25 min: Roberts finds Dembele, who tries to get a shot away but is held up by Bates, with a lovely dinked ball. A corner results and Celtic work it short, but Roberts can’t find the cross.

Updated

24 min: At some point Rangers are going to have to stop playing as if it’s 0-0 and step up a few yards. The chances are hardly coming thick and fast for Celtic but they are being allowed to work their way towards the box with such ease. Only Tavernier really looks to have some fire in him.

21 min: Tavernier, who earlier went in tastily but fairly on Sinclair near the corner flag, goes in equally strongly but illegally on McGregor. But Rangers probably need a bit of fire and brimstone at the moment; they haven’t really got near Celtic.

19 min: Slick from Brown, to Dembele, and almost to McGregor around the box again. Rangers just can’t get a foot on the ball anywhere.

18 min: ... which is met by Dembele again, but this time over the top.

17 min: I am tempting fate here but it is very, very hard to see a Celtic side that never loses lose this game now. They win another corner ...

15 min: Rangers press Celtic a bit and force a loose pass out of Craig Gordon. It’s not much but they’ll need to do more of that.

13 min: We will find out a lot about Rangers now. Celtic have had 85% of the possession and are a goal up; they showed, in the buildup there, an aptitude for going long when needed and if the Gers aren’t careful they could be overrun.

Goal! Celtic 1-0 Rangers (McGregor 11)

They’ve been threatening it, and what a lovely finish that is. Dembele makes a run down the inside-right channel, controls a long pass superbly and in one movement lays back to the onrushing McGregor. Some 20 yards out, he measures the calmest, most slide-rule of finishes into the corner past a statuesque Foderingham. A really fine goal, that.

9 min: Close! Celtic’s Armstrong, who is a really nice player to watch at his best, just about finds an angle for a curler on the edge of the box but it drops a foot wide.

8 min: Rangers sitting off Celtic quite a bit, particularly when they have possession in their own half. With an inexperienced defence, it’s vital they keep their shape.

6 min: Tierney does well again and whips in a tricky cross that’s headed away by young Rangers defender David Bates.

5 min: Celtic with most of the possession as you’d expect, trying to find the switches to Roberts and Sinclair when they’re open.

3 min: Garner will be important up top in the physical battles for Rangers and he sets Waghorn away with a flick. A throw-in, taken long by Waghorn, results and is headed away ... then Celtic counter at rapid speed, Halliday taking out Roberts with what looks an awful tackle but Collum waving play-on as McGregor heads towards the box. Foderingham saves his shot but Halliday doesn’t get away with that challenge; he’s booked.

2 min: Early corner for Celtic after Tierney makes ground from left-back. Sinclair with the inswinger ... and a harmless header wide from Dembele.

Peeeeeeep! Strap in, we're underway ...

Willie Collum blows his whistle and Rangers, shooting left to right on yer telly, get us going.

The teams are out at Hampden! It’s a sea of colour and, boy, what a roar. Celtic in their 76th cup semi, Rangers in their 63rd, but it might as well be the first.

A reminder to get your thoughts in during the game via the Twitter or email accounts above ... let’s talk ...

Brendan Rodgers speaks: “We’re very focused on the game, we’ve prepared to win and not be disappointed. We need to ensure we control the ball and when we haven’t [got it] be super-compact and fight to get it back. But we don’t feel any extra pressure.”

Caixinha is mixing it up by posing for some selfies with the crowd before the game. He seems pretty chilled-out. No sign of Rodgers flashing any grins for the cameras yet.

That Celtic team – with Patrick Roberts joining Scott Sinclair and Dembele in a frankly lightning-looking front three – should be entertaining. The main news for Rangers is that injury fears over goalkeeper Wes Foderingham have been allayed, so he plays. And might be busy. Barrie McKay and Jon Toral, two of Rangers’ better technical players, are on the bench.

“What are the five key talking points before this Old Firm semi?” I hear you ask. Ewan Murray has the answers:

The teams

Celtic: Gordon; Lustig, Boyata, Simunovic, Tierney; Brown, Armstrong, Roberts, McGregor, Sinclair; Dembele. Subs: Bailly, Griffiths, Gamboa, Rogic, Sviatchenko, Forrest, Kouassi.

Rangers: Foderingham; Tavernier, Bates, Wilson, Beerman; Holt, Halliday, Hyndman; Miller, Waghorn, Garner. Subs: Alnwick, Hill, Toral, McKay, Windass, Dodoo, Hodson.

Good morning!

If you were a Celtic or Rangers fan, would you be getting an early lunch in here or pigging out well after the game? A lunchtime cup semi between these two is unlikely to be one for the faint of stomach so I’d opt for the latter – it’s not hard to envisage a see-sawing belter at Hampden and butterflies aplenty.

The stakes are, as ever, high but there’s another factor here – Celtic, who have been brilliant all season, are going for the treble and there is nothing their rivals would like to do more then stop them. The reinvention under Brendan Rodgers has been sensational; Rangers are looking for something similar under new now Pedro Caixinha but they are certainly underdogs here even if a 1-1 draw at Celtic Park last month halted a run of three defeats in the Old Firm derby this season.

The man to stop? It’s Moussa Dembele of course. He’s scored five goals in this fixture so far this term, including three in the 5-1 shellacking Celtic handed out back in September. He is far from the only threat but if Rangers can get a handle on him – and in doing so frustrate the scores of scouts likely to be watching – then their chances of facing Aberdeen in the final will go up several notches.

That was a cracking semi yesterday, by the way. If today’s is up to that mark then, with added atmosphere and narkiness, it could be something special. Kick-off is at midday.

Contributor

Nick Ames

The GuardianTramp

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