I’ll leave you with Ewan Murray’s report from Hampden Park:
Callum McGregor says he is “really proud of the players, it’s been a difficult week, a big change … The whole place comes alive again, you can see how much it means to the players.”
On his goal, he says: “If you don’t shoot you don’t score, it was a big moment in the game.”
Callum Osmand says it’s “the best day of my life” as he celebrates his first Celtic goal on just his second appearance. He recalls being out of the squad and “running in the rain up and down the pitch”, saying that it has prepared him as a player.
On Danny Röhl’s impact, Osmand says: “He thinks very highly of me and that gives you the boost you need. He’s given me the confidence and trust. That’s all you need form a manager. Hopefully this is just the start.”
Celtic will face St Mirren in the final at Hampden Park on Sunday 14 December.
Full-time: Celtic 3-1 Rangers (aet)
Celtic are through to the League Cup final but boy did they have to work hard! Rangers were already trailing to Johnny Kenny’s opener when Thelo Aasgaard was shown a straight red for a challenge on Anthony Ralston.
Danny Röhl didn’t compromise and his team fought on, forcing a penalty with 10 minutes to go when Ralston was penalised for handball. James Tavernier sent the tie to extra time but Celtic made the most of their man advantage.
Callum McGregor’s thunderous strike saw them regain the lead and substitute Callum Osmand finally got the goal his performance deserved when he converted Kieran Tierney’s cross to put the tie beyond doubt.
Updated
120+1 min: The olés are out for Celtic. Balikwisha wins a corner after his cross is diverted behind.
120 min: Two minutes added.
119 min: The Rangers half of Hampden has emptied out. Nobody has left the other half.
Updated
118 min: Balikwisha finds Tierney, whose shot is blocked to cries of handball. Celtic are taking plenty of time over restarting the game.
117 min: Forrest almost picks out Balikwisha in a dangerous position. Gassama is now being booed with every touch.
116 min: Trusty soldiers on. Rangers try to give the ball back to Schmeichel after Celtic kicked it out but Gassama is having none of it. He chases it down but is stopped in his tracks. Ralston, understandably, takes issue with this. That would have been controversial.
114 min: Trusty has a convenient touch of cramp and needs his leg stretching. The game looks up for Rangers now.
113 min: Osmand is causing all sorts of trouble for Rangers. Forrest is penalised for what looked like a great challenge on Moore – O’Neill goes mad on the touchline. Just like old times.
111 min: O’Neill sends on Balikwisha for Maeda. Celtic have a proper cushion now.
GOAL! Celtic 3-1 Rangers (Osmand 109)
Callum Osmand’s first goal for Celtic surely sends them into the final! Tierney whips a cross into the corridor of uncertainty and the 19-year-old former Fulham youngster flings himself at it and diverts it into an empty net. He kisses the badge in the celebration. A dream moment!
Updated
107 min: Osmand drives at the Rangers backline and forces Tavernier into a foul. McGregor spots Hatate in behind from the free-kick but the flag is up.
Back under way. We’ve swapped ends.
Updated
Zach Neeley writes in:
To immediately go down a goal and now need to chase for 30 minutes after all the effort to make it to extra time. My legs would rebel.
Even if they come away beaten, Danny Röhl and Rangers will earn tremendous credit for their attitude in this game.
Half-time in extra time: Celtic are 15 minutes from the League Cup final.
105+1 min: Tierney launches a throw into the box and Hatate is bundled over by Moore. The referee waves away appeals for a penalty.
105 min: One minute added.
104 min: Osmand goes close again! Forrest gets to the byline, cuts it back for the striker, who turns and strikes low but Butland’s legs get in the way. Souttar goes into the book for pulling back Osmand on halfway.
102 min: Schmeichel makes himself big again as Miovski tries to get on the end of a loose ball in the penalty area. The Celtic keeper sticks his glove out to divert it out of harm’s way. Joe Rothwell is on for Djiga.
100 min: It’s Schmeichel’s turn to make a crucial stop! Miovski plays Gassama in but the Dane is quick off his line again and spreads himself in trademark fashion.
Updated
98 min: Osmand has another chance from the corner but can’t guide an awkward header on target.
97 min: What a save from Butland! At full stretch he gets fingertips on the ball as Osmand looks to guide a header towards the bottom corner.
96 min: Celtic look in control now, keeping possession in their own half. Rangers are still pressing, to be fair.
Butland might be disappointed with that. It wasn’t in the corner – he may claim he was unsighted.
GOAL! Celtic 2-1 Rangers (McGregor 93)
A captain’s goal! McGregor receives it on the edge of the box, takes one touch to get it out of his feet and launches a left-footed drive that flies past Butland and high into the net! Celtic hit the front.
Updated
92 min: Rangers are going to need all the help they can get. Röhl seems to have got their approach spot on since going down to 10 men.
Extra time begins
Rangers have sent for Antman. He’s on for Raskin.
Full-time: Celtic 1-1 Rangers
We’re heading to extra time! Tierney has the last chance of regulation time but his right-footed shot is deflected wide and the referee blows his whistle. Such a valiant effort from Rangers, a man down that whole half.
90+4 min: Röhl tries to take the sting out of it with Max Aarons replacing Meghoma. Celtic go forward one last time …
90+2 min: Hatate blazes over! Forrest is involved again as he knocks a ball back into a central position and the Japan midfielder strides on to it but sends it over the bar.
90+1 min: Nobody can get a touch on Tierney’s inviting cross and Rangers clear. It’s all hands on deck for the 10 men now.
90 min: Engels’ corner produces pinball and the Celtic fans cry out for handball but VAR says no. Four minutes to be added.
89 min: Forrest is having a real impact. His cross is headed behind for a corner …
88 min: Forrest sends Osmand through again. The teenager gets past Souttar before Meghoma comes in and bumps him over. No foul given.
87 min: The momentum is with Celtic once again. Engels swings in a couple of corners but they are not of the quality of his first-half deliveries.
85 min: Crucial save from Butland! Forrest plays Osmand in on the left but the 19-year-old can’t squeeze the ball under Butland. Huge chance!
84 min: Tavernier’s corner is headed clear. Celtic pile forward but Ralston’s long ball is dealt with by Djiga.
83 min: Rangers are emboldened. Meghoma pings the ball off Ralston and it goes out for a corner …
GOAL! Celtic 1-1 Rangers (Tavernier 81pen)
Tavernier levels it! He whips his penalty across his body and into the bottom corner. Schmeichel dives the right way but can’t get near it.
Updated
80 min: Penalty to Rangers! Gassama takes aim and Ralston flings himself at the shot John-Terry-style. The referee hesitates before pointing to the spot for handball. His arms are by his side but the penalty stands. Ralston escapes a second yellow. It’s Tavernier against Schmeichel from the spot …
Updated
78 min: Saracchi’s work is done. Kieran Tierney heads on to help Celtic defend the Rangers corner. Tavernier’s cross goes all the way through.
76 min: Big chance for Rangers! Moore sends a ball in behind for Gassama to chase. The winger takes it under control but just as he’s about to pull the trigger, Scales slides in. Vital defending.
74 min: Forrest pulls the ball back for Hatate, whose shot is fumbled by Butland but eventually gathered.
72 min: Nygren and Kenny are replaced by Reo Hatate and Callum Osmand for Celtic. The latter is making just his second appearance for the club. Rangers send on Mikey Moore and Bojan Miovski for Chermiti and Diomande.
70 min: Celtic hit the bar! Saracchi sends another low cross into the box, Forrest thwacks it with his left foot from close range and it thunders off the crossbar and is eventually cleared. Probably should score.
68 min: Nygren goes close! Saracchi takes advantage of space down Celtic’s left, zips a low cross into the box and Nygren diverts it over the bar.
67 min: Tavernier goes long again from the free-kick, it’s cleared to Diomande but his touch and volley goes wide. James Forrest is on for Celtic, replacing Tounekti.
66 min: Gassama skips through a couple of Celtic players and Engels takes one for the team and a booking for his troubles.
65 min: Butland keeps Rangers in it! First he gets down low to keep out Nygren’s header from the corner and then bats away a shot from Ralston.
64 min: Tounekti runs at Djiga again and the Rangers left-back stands up and concedes a corner …
62 min: McGregor sees yellow after a loose ball from Scales falls to Raskin and the Celtic captain brings him down. Tavernier winds up another long throw which Celtic deal with.
Updated
61 min: The Rangers fans are in fine voice as well. O’Neill looks mildly concerned on the touchline.
60 min: You have to commend Röhl’s boldness here. Rangers are giving it a real go despite the red card. Plenty of balls are going into the Celtic box but Tavernier’s latest corner comes to nothing.
58 min: Maeda is shown a yellow card for a high foot that connects with Diomande’s chest in midfield. The ball falls for Diomande and Chermiti on the edge of the box from the resulting free-kick but their shots are blocked.
56 min: Ralston switches the ball to Tounekti, who cuts inside and tries to slide the ball through to Kenny but the pass has too much on it. The gaps in the Rangers defence are getting wider.
54 min: Close to a second for Celtic! McGregor lays the ball back for Engels, who sets himself some 25 yards from goal and curls a shot just wide of the far post.
53 min: Saracchi scampers down the left on the counter for Celtic but Djiga keeps pace with him and gets in front of him before hitting the deck for a free-kick.
51 min: Ralston goes into the book for a trip on Raskin. Tavernier goes short with the free-kick and Maeda stops Gassama getting any further.
50 min: Saracchi goes long to Kenny through the middle. Souttar comes across and bundles it goalwards, with Butland sticking out a glove to divert it wide. Kenny can’t get the loose ball under control.
49 min: Djiga is not having a pleasant afternoon. He’s constantly giving the ball away and diving into challenges. He’s even more exposed now Tavernier has moved more centrally and Rangers have deployed a back four.
47 min: A straight ball down the Celtic left sees Djiga struggle to get to grips with Tounekti again. Souttar comes over to bail him out and concedes a corner. Maeda can’t keep Engels’ deep delivery in play.
Second half begins
Rangers get us back under way at Hampden. Gassama has come off the bench in place of Danilo for Röhl’s side.
Steven Grundy writes in:
As a Rangers fan, I have been very impressed by Celtic. They have been all over us – like a pigeon on a chippy. I am amazed that it is only 1-0. Of course, we had 2 good chances as well, however, we simply cannot match Celtic’s intensity. Unless Celtic get a player sent off, I simply can’t see us getting back into this.
Judging by the way that first half finished, I reckon another early bath may well be on the cards.
So far, so good for Martin O’Neill in his 28th Old Firm. Kenny’s goal was well taken and Celtic were unlucky to have Raskin’s earlier own goal chalked off for a tight offside.
But even with a man advantage they have been guilty of lapses in concentration at the back. Rangers have had chances and will surely have more. And let’s not rule out the numbers being evened up.
Half-time: Celtic 1-0 Rangers
Johnny Kenny’s header separates the sides at the break. Thelo Aasgaard’s red card has made it tougher for Rangers, who have spurned a couple of great chances through Youssef Chermiti. Celtic are lucky to still have 11 men after Auston Trusty’s silly kick out at Jack Butland at the end of the half.
45+3 min: Trusty is booked for kicking in the direction of the ball as Butland comes out to claim it. He catches Butland in the face – it’s really silly. He’s so fortunate that it’s just a yellow.
45+2 min: Rangers win a free-kick, Tavernier sends a searching ball into box but Schmeichel clutches it with ease. Up the other end, Tounekti wriggles into the area off the left and sees a shot deflected out for a corner …
45 min: Two added minutes.
44 min: The red card has left Rangers a bit ragged. Danny Röhl needs half-time to come quickly so he can reorganise.
42 min: Martin O’Neill has his hands behind his head as Nygren bumps his way into a shooting position and flashes his effort past the side-netting. Kenny was coming through and would’ve been in a better position to take it on.
40 min: There’s some more handbags as Raskin commits another foul. It’s threatening to boil over a bit. Celtic have Rangers where they want them.
Red card for Aasgaard!
Rangers are down to 10 men! Aasgaard flicks the ball over his head and stretches his leg out to take it down, catching Ralston above the knee. It’s not malicious but it is dangerous. Walsh doesn’t hesitate to show a straight red. Ralston shows off the stud marks on his thigh.
Updated
37 min: Engels’ inswinger is headed clear the near post. Danilo upends the Belgian and feeds it in again from the free-kick but Butland gathers.
35 min: Djiga dives in on Tounekti on Celtic’s left wing and Tavernier has to come across to poke it out for a corner …
Updated
34 min: Meghoma loops a hopeful cross into the Celtic box but Schmeichel claims it before Chermiti can try his luck again. Kenny and Tounekti then get their wires crossed on a Celtic counter.
Poor from Chermiti. He’s inside the six-yard box when he makes contact but he shins the ball wide of the post. Two big chances he’s passed up now.
32 min: Ralston clotheslines Meghoma and Tavernier has the chance to whip an inswinging free-kick into the box. Chermiti ghosts in at the back post but can’t divert it on target. Should do better.
30 min: Almost an equaliser! Danilo swivels and slides a wonderful ball into Raskin but Schmeichel is quick off his line and blocks the shot. Textbook goalkeeping.
28 min: Engels wins it on halfway and Maeda sets Kenny free down the right. The Irishman comes inside and stings Butland’s palms! It’s another Celtic corner … but it comes to nothing.
27 min: The goal seems to have geed Celtic up even more. They’re snapping into tackles now and Rangers are struggling to cope with the intensity.
GOAL! Celtic 1-0 Rangers (Kenny 25)
Engels’ corner is met at the near post by Kenny and he angles his header perfectly to loop over Butland and into the back of the net. First blood to Celtic!
Updated
24 min: Cornelius is the first player into the book with a nasty challenge on Kenny. The free-kick goes into the box and Nygren’s skewed shot is deflected out for a corner …
22 min: Rangers should be in front! Diomande plays an excellent ball into the box and Chermiti slides in but somehow steers it wide of the near post!
There’s really not much in it, Maeda’s heel is just beyond Djiga on the ball through.
Celtic goal ruled out!
20 min: After Maeda spurns a huge chance, Celtic think they’ve gone in front in bizarre circumstances! Maeda gets the ball in the box again, dinks it into the middle and Djiga smashes the ball into the chest of Raskin and it sails into the back of the net! VAR comes to Rangers’ rescue as Maeda is adjudged to have been offside.
Updated
17 min: Celtic go wide again and Tounekti’s cross is easily gathered by Butland. Nygren shouts at the Tunisian, something along the lines of ‘why didn’t you pass me the ball?’ Maybe not that civil.
16 min: Röhl’s got his Rangers team well set up when out of possession. There’s a real lack of space for the likes of Nygren to operate in between the lines.
14 min: Meghoma bumps into Maeda near the corner flag and Celtic have the opportunity to put the free-kick into the box. It comes across to Tounekti again but he can’t find enough space to get a shot or cross away. Maeda clatters into Danilo on the counterattack.
Updated
12 min: Aasgaard beats Ralston to a loose ball around halfway and sets off down the left. Bearing down on the penalty area, he cuts in and shots straight at Schmeichel. An easy take.
11 min: Meghoma heads up the other end and sends a cross to his fellow wing-back Tavernier at the back post but it’s snuffed out by Celtic.
10 min: Chance for Celtic! Maeda wins a corner off Cornelius. It’s quickly taken and comes through to Tounekti on the left. He leans back and lifts his curling shot over the bar.
8 min: Schmeichel’s distribution is better but Tavernier wins the ball in the Celtic half. Rangers win a free-kick when Engels fouls Diomande. Tavernier will loft it into the box … but Maeda gets rid.
Updated
6 min: Butland keeps inviting pressure with a couple of shanked kicks. That won’t settle Rangers nerves.
4 min: Djiga misses the ball and Tounekti scampers in behind the Rangers defence but Souttar gets across to clear the cross. Maeda then puts a ball in from the other flank and Djiga smashes it away. Very anxious from Rangers.
2 mins: After a couple of nervy punts from Rangers, Celtic settle down into possession in their own half.
Kick-off!
Nick Walsh, the referee, booed as he is shown on the big screen, plonks the ball on the centre spot and Johnny Kenny gets us under way.
The players head out into the noise, Hampden split down the middle into blue and green. For the right to face St Mirren here in December … here we go.
Updated
Other football: John Brewin is on our minute-by-minute coverage for West Ham v Newcastle in the Premier League; Yara El-Shaboury has all the latest from the early kick-offs in the WSL:
As for us, there’s just over five minutes until kick-off at Hampden!
Nick Walsh is the man in the middle today. He also refereed the 2024 Scottish Cup final between Celtic and Rangers and a Europa League match last season where he showed four red cards and 12 yellows. Don’t cross him.
Danny Röhl: While this is his first Old Firm, the new Rangers manager has made it clear this week that he’s used to being involved in other major rivalries as a coach, at Bayern Munich and Sheffield Wednesday:
I can remember when Hansi Flick took over, our second game was at home against Dortmund. We won 4-0. It is always a booster if you win such a game. As well, in the Championship in the Steel derby, I was also part [of it] there. I know what it means for the fans. This is more than just a game.
The 36-year-old German has also been lauding 73-year-old Martin O’Neill’s longevity:
I feel a big respect for such a coaching career. I think it is always great as a manager when you work so long in this business and you are successful.
I am just at the beginning of my career. I have a lot of work to do to come to this point but the good thing is we start at 0-0, different generations and let’s see what we can bring with our teams in this game.
I am very excited. I have had some experience but I expect a big, big one on Sunday. To be part of such a game, it’s all or nothing. You win, you go into the final, you lose, you’re out. I think everything is on for a great, great game.
Updated
Martin O’Neill: The Celtic interim manager has this week been reminiscing about his first meeting with Rangers 25 years ago, the 6-2 ‘Demolition Derby’:
Well, replicating that might be extremely difficult, scoring six goals against that side. I’d settle for a really lousy 1-0 victory if we could get it. Some lads come up and say to me: ‘That was a great game’, and they weren’t even born. They tell me their grandfathers and fathers were talking about it. It became a really pivotal match for us, not just that season, but probably for continuing on.
The nervousness for about 72 hours before, and then if you got the result, a great relief. And I think that’s what the great Walter Smith used to say about it as well, that it was relief more than anything else. But they were fantastic fixtures really. It’s still a fantastic fixture.
This is a big game for us. Really, don’t disguise that at all. It’s a semi-final, it’s a big match for us. Any Celtic-Rangers game is a big game, but particularly given the circumstances of the recent days, if not weeks, absolutely.
Two new managers in the dugouts today but there’s a big gap in Old Firm experience between them. Danny Röhl is experiencing his first as Rangers manager while Martin O’Neill is about to take charge of his 28th.
Today’s result could have a major impact on how long O’Neill’s second spell as (interim, for now) Celtic boss lasts, as Ewan Murray has been pondering:
Celtic could pay £5m in compensation to coax Kieran McKenna from Ipswich. They could take an even bigger gamble on Robbie Keane. The Scottish champions may opt to give Club Brugge’s Nicky Hayen a first taste of British football. These are all gambles in their own way. Even more than O’Neill? This is debatable.
Starting lineups
Celtic (4-3-3): Schmeichel; Ralston, Trusty, Scales, Sarrachi; McGregor, Engels, Nygren; Maeda, Kenny, Tounekti.
Subs: Sinisalo, Balikwisha, Yang, Osmand, McCowan, Hatate, Murray, Forrest, Tierney.
Marcelo Sarrachi starts ahead of Kieran Tierney at left-back. James Forrest also drops out of the XI that beat Falkirk in midweek.
Rangers (3-4-3): Butland; Djiga, Souttar, Cornelius; Tavernier, Diomande, Raskin, Meghoma; Aasgaard, Chermiti, Danilo.
Subs: Kelly, Aarons, Fernández, Rothwell, Antman, Moore, Gassama, Curtis, Miovski.
James Tavernier gets the nod over Max Aarons on the right, with Mohamed Diomande coming in for the suspended Connor Barron in the middle and Thelo Aasgaard preferred to Mikey Moore in attack.
Updated
Preamble
Hello and welcome to the Old Firm. It’s got to be better than last time, right? Rangers and Celtic last met at the start of September in a goalless draw that yielded just nine shots in total, a combined expected goals of 0.34 and just the three yellow cards.
In the dugouts at Ibrox that day were Russell Martin and Brendan Rodgers. It all looks very different now. Danny Röhl and Martin O’Neill are the men in charge for this League Cup semi-final at Hampden Park, the first signing a two-and-a-half year deal at Rangers and the latter employed by Celtic on an interim basis at the start of this week two decades after his first spell in charge.
The winners today will head through to play St Mirren in the final on 14 December, with Celtic hoping to defend the title they won for the 22nd time last year.
Kick-off is at 2pm (GMT) and we will have extra time and penalties if necessary, so strap in.
