Celtic 3-3 Rangers (5-4 pens): Daizen Maeda is Hoops hero with successful Scottish League Cup penalty

Daizen Maeda was Celtic’s penalty hero as they beat holders Rangers to win the League Cup in a frantic ultimate at Hampden Park that completed 3-3 after further time.

The winger scored the successful spot kick after scoring in a dramatic encounter as Philippe Clement was left nonetheless trying to find his first win in opposition to their Previous Agency rivals.

It was a drama-filled encounter as Greg Taylor made amends for gifting Nedim Bajrami the opener for Rangers by equalising after the break.

A scientific end from Maeda put Celtic forward once more just for Mohamed Diomande to drag Rangers again degree. Nicolas Kuhn thought he had wrapped up the win for Celtic, just for Gers’ substitution Danilo to reply instantly to take the sport to further time.

Kasper Schmeichel denied Ridvan Yilmaz from the spot, with Maeda securing the win to keep up Brendan Rodgers’ successful Hampden file and maintain the Hoops on the right track for a home treble.

Celtic’s home dominance continues

A Glasgow derby traditional was preceded by incidents off the sphere.

Each units of followers set off pyrotechnics which engulfed the stadium in smoke, regardless of each golf equipment being below investigation for a similar behaviour of their respective semi-finals.

It was the standard frantic begin with the primary probability falling Rangers’ means when Ianis Hagi latched onto a unfastened ball on the again submit, however Kasper Schmeichel palmed his effort away earlier than Cameron Carter-Vickers cleared the hazard.

Jack Butland then produced a superb double save to disclaim Nicolas Kuhn and Reo Hatate on the rebound earlier than Kyogo Furuhashi pressured him into one other save quickly after.

It was finish to finish and Schmeichel reacted to cease Leon Balogun’s header as James Tavernier’s cross arrange a superb probability for Rangers.

The match was missing in actual high quality within the opening half however Nedim Bajrami opened the scoring earlier than the break after Greg Taylor’s mistake allowed Bajrami to burst ahead to arrange Hamza Igamane. The striker was denied by Schmeichel, however Bajrami was there to fireplace within the rebound.

Brendan Rodgers made an enforced half-time change with Liam Scales changing the injured Auston Trusty as Celtic seemed for a means again into the ultimate.

The defender headed simply large from Paulo Bernardo’s free-kick earlier than one other Taylor mistake left Carter-Vickers on 4 Rangers gamers – the place he managed a last-ditch problem to cease Igamane from doubling their lead.

Butland then denied Kuhn and Kyogo went shut earlier than Taylor made up for his errors as his strike took an enormous deflection and sailed previous the Gers keeper and into the online.

That lifted Celtic and McGregor fired over the bar earlier than a sensational end from Maeda despatched Celtic forward, the winger bringing down the ball earlier than firing low into the online.

However Rangers weren’t for giving up, and after Ridvan Yilmaz fired over and Schmeichel pulled off a superb fingertip save, they had been again degree as Diomande’s shot took a deflection previous the Hoops keeper.

Nicolas Kuhn thought he had gained it for Celtic when he swept dwelling Arne Engles’ ball within the 87th minute, just for Danilo to come back off the bench to degree the match once more simply 21 seconds later and take it to further time.

Celtic edged further time – Rangers seemed out on their ft – however the targets dried up earlier than the penalty drama.

Schmeichel was crushed by Tavernier, Hagi and Danilo earlier than he blocked Yilmaz’s penalty, with Gers keeper Butland additionally scoring.

Nevertheless Celtic didn’t fail from the spot, with Adam Idah, skipper Callum McGregor, Engels and Hatate netting earlier than Maeda clinched the victory.

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