Celtic claimed the Premier Sports Cup with a dramatic 5-4 penalty shoot-out after the teams were tied 3-3 after extra-time.
In a rollercoaster afternoon at Hampden, it was Rangers who were left feeling queasy as Celtic took the first silverware of the season.
Philippe Clement will point to the fact that his side twice came off the canvas as evidence that this is a side far more cohesive and spirited than what some of what has been on offer this season would suggest.
Brendan Rodgers will point to the fact that his side were a mile off their best but still walked out of Hampden with the trophy back in the East End of Glasgow.
Celtic’s defending at times was abject. They had one hand on the trophy after Nicolas Kuhn netted with three minutes of regulation time remaining only for Daizen Maeda to allow Vaclav Cerbny to cut inside a deliver a cross with Danilo evading Tony Ralston to head level back Rangers.
It was Rangers who took first blood with Greg Taylor slipping to gift possession. It was a familiar tone for the day with mistakes from both teams at pertinent moments their undoing.
Taylor’s slip was costly as Rangers made him pay in the most effective way. The fullback gifted possession just inside his own half with Hamza Igamane the gleeful recipient. He drove forward before unleashing an effort that Schmeichel parried only for Bajrami to convert from close range.
It sent Rangers into the break with the advantage.
They had a glorious chance to double their lead when Taylor again lost his footing with Schmeichel pushing the ball out for a corner from Barrami’s effort. It proved to be the pivotal moment in the game. Celtic began to take control of the game with Kuhn giving Jefte a torrid time.
The winger cut inside before squaring for Kyogo who clipped his effort just wide of the post. Next up Kuhn released Johnston with his effort blocked by the chest of Butland. As Celtic enjoyed a sustained period of pressure, they were able to flip the game on its head.
The leveller came from Taylor with his deflected effort through a ruck of players dipping beyond Butland and into the back of the net. Within five minutes, Celtic were in front for the first time in the game. Again, it was a mistake that proved costly, coming this time from Leon Balogun.
Maeda, contained until then, burst forward and kept his composure to rifle an effort past Butland.
Cerny forced a decent save from Schmeichel with a rasping effort from the edge of the box as Rangers tried to find a way back into the game.
It was Rangers’ turn then to enjoy a period of pressure. Igamane tested Schmeichel before Diomande turned the ball into the net as Celtic failed to clear their lines.
Arne Engles picked out Kuhn who put Celtic back in front but almost from the restart Rangers were level when Danilo levelled to send the game to extra-time.
Celtic looked the more dangerous in extra-time without creating anything of note.
The game wen to penalties with Rangers winning the toss to shoot in front of their own support.
Schmeichel’s save from Ridden Yilmaz sent Celtic on their way to victory with Maeda netting the decisive kick.
The bigger kick was the boot to the stomach Rangers will have felt as they put so much into a game to take nothing from it. They are unlikely to have a better chance of beating Celtic than they did this afternoon.
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