For Celtic, a return to Hampden Park for the League Cup final in late February. This tournament is often derided as the poor relation of Scotland’s three main domestic competitions but it holds a special place in the heart of Ange Postecoglou. This marked the first trophy the Australian claimed as the Celtic manager. Without it, there is no chance of a much-coveted treble.
As Celtic celebrated, Kilmarnock were due high praise. They posed as much of a challenge to Postecoglou’s expensively assembled team as has been delivered by anyone in Scotland this season. Kilmarnock were tactically superb and provided attacking menace. There may be no consolation in being losing semi-finalists but onlookers could not fail to be impressed by the showing of the huge underdogs. Celtic had to scrap and scrape their way towards the final, where Aberdeen or Rangers lie in wait.
Kilmarnock had started promisingly. Daniel Armstrong’s low cross after just 30 seconds narrowly evaded Kyle Vassell. Joe Hart saved smartly from a low Rory McKenzie drive, Carl Starfelt having cheaply conceded possession to the Kilmarnock attacker.
Against this backdrop, it was no wonder the Kilmarnock manager, Derek McInnes, stood with head in hands as Celtic opened the scoring. There was an element of freakishness about the goal, Kyle Lafferty flicking the ball onto the onrushing Daizen Maeda when attempting to clear an Aaron Mooy free-kick. Without knowing much about it, Maeda knocked the ball beyond the stranded Sam Walker. Kilmarnock responded instantly through Joe Wright, who watched his header batted away by Hart. On the balance of play, Kilmarnock were unfortunate to lie behind at the break.
It had seemed inevitable that Lafferty would play a key role in proceedings. This marked the Northern Irishman’s first appearance since the serving of a 10-game ban for a sectarian comment delivered in a nightclub. It represents the irony of ironies, of course, that the Celtic support who berated Lafferty here did so with sectarian language of their own. It is also puzzling that such garbage from the stands week upon week goes without punishment from the very same authorities who brought Lafferty to task. Scottish football does a fine job of pretending to be interested in offensive behaviour. Lafferty’s evening lasted just 45 minutes, with the forward one of two Kilmarnock interval withdrawals. Celtic had the ball in the net four minutes of the restart, with Reo Hatate’s close-range strike ruled out for offside.
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A spell of Kilmarnock pressure followed, without Hart being placed under any real stress. McInnes, whose retention of two strikers throughout was admirable, would be well aware his team needed to claim the match’s next goal. Celtic believed they had it courtesy of a sublime Maeda finish. Instead, VAR correctly ruled Kyogo Furuhashi had been offside during the buildup. Cue more ranting and raving from the stands.
With 25 minutes to play on a sodden pitch, this had developed into a war of attrition. It felt curious that Postecoglou had not called upon Liel Abada or Giorgios Giakoumakis in an attempt to snuff out Kilmarnock’s stiff resistance. Celtic’s attacking players were enduring a frustrating time. Armstrong had a glorious chance to equalise for the Ayrshire men but fluffed his lines at the back post. Christian Doidge prodded towards goal after Celtic dallied from a long throw, with Hart having to stay alert.
Abada, who replaced the ineffectual Jota, fired narrowly wide as Celtic looked to afford themselves breathing space. Kilmarnock screamed for a penalty as Wright tumbled. Giakoumakis, who looks on the verge of a move to Japan, had the final say in stoppage time after Walker could only parry a David Turnbull shot. The outcome was harsh on Kilmarnock.
