Celtic remained heading in the right direction for a home treble after Jota’s first-half header proved the distinction in a 1-0 Scottish Cup semi-final win over arch Glasgow rivals Rangers at Hampden Park on Sunday.
The Hoops, runaway leaders of the Scottish Premiership, have already defeated Rangers on this season’s Scottish League Cup last.
And they are going to be overwhelming favourites after they return to Hampden for the Scottish Cup last in opposition to second-tier Inverness on June 3.
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Portuguese star Jota scored the one aim of Sunday’s match three minutes earlier than half-time when he punished careless defending by heading in previous goalkeeper Allan McGregor.
Borna Barisic and several other different Rangers gamers stopped, anticipating a foul close to the sting of the penalty space, and that allowed Japan’s Daizen Maeda to steal in and whip the ball throughout aim.
Jota may hardly miss with the close-range header after stealing away from Rangers captain James Tavernier.
Cup-holders Rangers had a number of possibilities to equalise, nevertheless, with Tavernier hitting the publish within the second half and Fashion Sakala lacking an open aim from the rebound.
Their failure to take advantage of their alternatives meant Celtic gained a measure of revenge for his or her semi-final defeat by Rangers final season.
Celtic gained the semi last match. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
“It’s a semi-final, there’s a giant prize on the finish so we knew it wouldn’t be straightforward,” Celtic supervisor Ange Postecoglou instructed the BBC.
“Dare I say it, we by no means cease. We’re at all times alert. We drive the opposition into errors.
“The progress we’ve made has been immense. It’s credit score to everybody concerned.”
Postecoglou, in the meantime, delivered an ideal one-line response to any critics who declare Celtic are “fortunate”.
For reference, Rangers coach Michael Beale beforehand claimed Postecoglou was a “fortunate man” for with the ability to spend a lot cash on new signings.
There have additionally been extra basic claims in mainstream media that Celtic has been lucky at instances throughout current derby video games.
I get the narrative can be fortunate once more however that’s alright,” Postecoglou mentioned, earlier than delivering that good one-line reply.
“We’ll simply preserve successful video games of soccer,” he mentioned.
“We defended rather well,” added Postecoglou.
“Our two centre-halves had been excellent. I believed the work fee of our entrance gamers, I imply Daizen Maeda was unimaginable, significantly within the first half. You must earn this stuff.
“I used to be actually happy that this workforce confirmed they are often resilient in addition to play the soccer we all know they will.”
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Sunday’s end result meant Beale has not crushed Celtic in 4 makes an attempt since taking on as Rangers supervisor final November, whereas Rangers haven’t gained an Old Firm sport in six makes an attempt.
“We shot ourselves within the foot once more,” mentioned Beale. “We saved Allan (McGregor) just about secure the entire sport.
“We’ve made a giant mistake in an enormous sport. It’s a repeat of what’s occurred. Right now, it’s large disappointment. When our alternatives got here, we weren’t capable of take them.”
