Scottish League Cup Semi-Final – Celtic v Rangers
1.15pm – Excitement is certainly hitting me now. The first Old Firm derby in three years and all for a place in the League Cup final. Of course Celtic are heavy favourites, but I think that the occasion might just stunt them a little and make the final score a little closer than could be expected.
1.27pm – Teams are in the tunnel now. Predicting a 2-0 win for Celtic, comfortable but not a really big score.
1.30pm – Rangers kick off the 400th Old Firm derby. It’s underway.
1.35pm – Start you might expect, a little cautious but Celtic with the ball and the possession so far.
1.38pm – Scott Brown concedes a free kick just outside the box which Stephen Smith whips in for Rangers, but Craig Gordon claims in comfortably.
1.39pm – GOAL for Celtic as Leigh Griffiths rises above the Rangers defence and heads in a Johanson cross to start the scoring 9 minutes in.
1.42pm – Life has been sparked into the game here and the Celtic fans are in full voice. Ominous start to the game from a Rangers perspective.
1.47pm – Rangers have a spell on the ball but can’t do anything with it. Celtic go forward again through Johanson and Izaguirre and look dangerous. This isn’t the classic Old Firm derby with both sides threatening, at least so far.
1.49pm – Corner to Rangers as Smith and Miller link up well on the left-wing. Aird swings it in but it goes far over the penalty box. A chance wasted.
1.53pm – Celtic passing the ball well, at least as well as you can on the torn up Hampden pitch. Comfortably in control of the match. Rangers aren’t able to do anything with the ball when they have it.
1.57pm – Anthony Stokes fires a shot over the bar as he gets some space on the left hand side of the pitch after another Rangers attack breaks down early.
1.58pm – Celtic corner but Hutton heads it clear first before Simonsen punches the ball to safety.
2.01pm – GOAL from Kris Commons as he fires a great shot into the top-left corner of the net as it breaks to him. 2-0 Celtic and surely game over already.
2.04pm – Griffiths through on goal but game is pulled back for a foul on Scott Brown. Celtic are furious.
2.09pm – Celtic go close again as Van Dijk heads over from inside the six-yard box from Stokes’ cross. All Celtic at the moment.
2.10pm – Great save from Rangers keeper Simonsen as a Johansen is clear in front of goal after a great move but can only fire at the stoppers’ legs.
2.12pm – After 42 minutes we have our first proper Old Firm challenge as Michael Lustig slides in studs-up. Booking for him.
2.15pm – Half-time and it’s Celtic 2-0 Rangers. Comfortable so far for the Hoops as they show they are a class above.
2.22pm – Going to take something special from Rangers or something calamitous from Celtic to change the way this tie is going at the moment. Simonsen perhaps could have done better for both goals so far but Rangers are lucky not to be further behind.
2.32pm – Back underway early as Celtic kick off the 2nd half. Aird off for Rangers with Daly replacing him.
2.34pm – Commons gets an early shot at goal in that Simonson stops and scrambles to keep under control.
2.38pm – Celtic knocking at the door with a few balls through the Rangers defence almost resulting in chances. Kenny Miller almost feeds through Jon Daly at the other end but the balls runs too long.
2.40pm – Leigh Griffiths curls a free-kick a foot wide of Simonsen’s right-hand post. Almost all Celtic still, with the Rangers midfield barely in the game at all.
2.42pm – Kenny Miller breaks free on the right-wing and puts in a dangerous cross into the box but it comes to nothing. Miller’s down after Van Dijk’s follow through, but should be alright to continue. Sadly the Rangers fans are starting to find their voice through unacceptable songs.
2.44pm – Griffiths goes down in the box after controlling a long ball under a challenge from Lee Wallace & Ian Black, but nothing given.
2.47pm – Tackles are flying in now as the blood and thunder aspect of the game comes into it. Neither team are really asserting themselves and creating chances.
2.51pm – Rangers have a good spell but their drilled crosses into the box from Smith and Foster don’t find men in blue shirts. Celtic break forward and play a slower passing game, trying to find their rhythm again.
2.54pm – Rangers still throwing balls forward, but don’t have enough players far enough forward to do anything with it. Celtic are obviously dangerous on the break and the threat of a third goal is slowing them down.
2.56pm – Leigh Griffiths off for John Guidetti, as Celtic try to get back into their first half rhythm.
3.03pm – Scrappy game at the moment with no real chancs for either team. Rangers could get back in this with a goal but still no shots on goal
3.05pm – James Forrest balloons a shot over the bar. Celtic back in some control, with just over 10 minutes to go.
3.08pm – Forrest has a mazy run through the box and tries to chip it towards the back post but again puts it over. Kenny Millers comes off for Kenny Clark for Rangers.
3.11pm – Mikael Lustig is replaced by Adama Matthews for Celtic. The excitement in the game has gone completely.
3.13pm – Guidetti fouled by McCulloch on the edge of the box but free kick goes the other way, strange decision.
3.15pm – Guidetti goes close with an attempted overhead kick, but is called offside anyway.
3.16pm – Black wins a free kcik for Rangers on the edge of the Celtic box as he’s brought down by Johanson. He takes the kick himself but again fails to get it past the first Celtic defenders. Rangers’ set-pieces have been very poor this afternoon.
3.20pm – Scott Brown puts in a strong challenge on Ian Black and is yellow carded for it. Players of both teams come together but there is no altercations. Brown has been good, controlling the Celtic team and keeping things ticking.
3.22pm – Full time as Celtic win 2-0 against Rangers to go through to the League Cup Final. Celtic were the better team for most of the game, but the second half was scrappy and stopped the Hoops from finding the first half form that threatened a demolition job.
3.26pm – As I predicted, a simple win for Celtic but not the drubbing that many had envisioned. That’s it from me until later tonight, with Super Bowl XLIX between the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks!