GLASGOW: A second-half penalty by Scott Sinclair sealed a 2-0 win for champions Celtic over bitter rivals Rangers and a place in the Scottish Cup final on Sunday.
Sinclair’s penalty and a first-half effort by Callum McGregor set them up with a May 27 date with Aberdeen — who beat holders Hibs 3-2 on Saturday — and a potential domestic treble for the first time in 16 years.
McGregor and Sinclair’s goals avenged defeat at the hands of Rangers at the same stage last year and extended their unbeaten run to 41 domestic matches this season.
It brings to an end a 92-year Hampden Park hoodoo for Celtic, who failed to beat Rangers in the last four of the competition on their previous five attempts since their last victory at this stage in 1925.
Rangers kicked off at Hampden but it was to be the closest they were to the ball for the majority of the half.
Rangers had conceded just once in their previous five games, but with Celtic enjoying the lion’s share of possession a goal seemed inevitable and it duly came through McGregor.
Moussa Dembele brought down Mikel Lustig’s long ball over the top of the Rangers defense and laid it back into the path of the Scottish midfielder, whose first-time strike with his left-foot rolled into the bottom corner.
Rangers were then relieved to see Dembele, scorer of five goals in five Old Firm appearances, limp out of the game on the half hour with a pulled hamstring to be replaced by Leigh Griffiths.
Rangers made two changes at the break with Joe Garner and Andy Halliday making way for Joe Dodoo and Barrie McKay.
But just as they started to threaten they conceded a penalty from a quick Celtic breakaway.
Goalkeeper Wes Foderingham hesitated in coming to collect Kieran Tierney’s through ball allowing Griffiths to run in on goal and the striker was brought down by a horribly mistimed sliding challenge from James Tavernier.
Foderingham nearly made amends as he palmed Sinclair’s spot-kick on to the inside of the post but the ball bounced over the line to double Celtic’s advantage.
Celtic then had two chances in quick succession with Foderingham tipping over a fierce strike from Griffiths before Dedryck Boyata headed over from close range.
Despite Celtic’s dominance Rangers captain Kenny Miller was presented with a golden chance to pull one back when he got on the end of Tavernier’s cross, but sent his weak header straight at Craig Gordon.
The veteran striker then sent a lofted effort on to the roof of the bar and saw a shot saved by Gordon as his side looked in vain for a way back into the game.
Celtic into Scottish Cup final in treble chase
Celtic into Scottish Cup final in treble chase
Proud dad Zinedine Zidane watches Algeria beat Sudan 3-0
- Former Real Madrid legend Zidane watches his son Luca keep a clean sheet in the Algeria goal during the Africa Cup of Nations match in Rabat
- Riyad Mahrez scores twice for Algeria, one of the tournament favorites, who move top of Group E
RABAT, Morocco: France great Zinedine Zidane watched his goalkeeper son’s safe hands as Algeria started its Africa Cup of Nations campaign with a 3-0 win over 10-man Sudan on Wednesday.
Riyad Mahrez scored twice and the 20-year-old Ibrahim Maza scored his first international goal for Algeria, one of the tournament favorites, to move top of Group E.
“The most important thing was to start with a win,” Mahrez said. “The last two AFCONs, we didn’t start good. Today, we really wanted to make it happen and we did.”
Zidane, who was at the sweet-smelling Moulay El Hassan Stadium in Rabat to see his son Luca Zidane playing in the Algeria goal, was feted by the crowd every time he was shown on the big screens.
Luca Zidane opted to represent his grandfather’s country after getting the Fennec Foxes’ invitation and he’s been given his chance to shine because of an injury to Alexandre Oukidja, who might have been expected to start otherwise.
Algeria wasted little time Wednesday with Mahrez sweeping in the opener in the second minute after unselfish play from Hicham Boudaoui to set him up.
Zidane was called into action shortly afterward to deny Yaser Awad on a break.
Sudan had to play all its qualification games away from home because of the near 1,000-day old civil war ravaging the country.
Though the Algerians looked confident and played with intensity, the big chances fell at the other end, with Zidane saving again from Awad before Abdel Raouf fired over.
Salah Adil was sent off just as the rain began to fall shortly before the break with his second yellow card for a foul on Rayan Aït-Nouri, who would have been through otherwise.
But the Algerian fans, who were in a majority, needed to be patient.
Mohammed Amoura produced a brilliant cross with the outside of his boot for Mahrez to score in the 61st, and Baghdad Bounedjah headed the ball into Maza’s path for the substitute to complete the scoring in the 85th.
Drama in Casablanca
Edmond Tapsoba completed a remarkable turnaround as Burkina Faso scored two goals in stoppage time to beat 10-man Equatorial Guinea 2-1 in the early Group E game.
Tapsoba’s team had pushed hard for the opening goal after Basilio Ndong was sent off early in the second half for a bad challenge on Bertrand Traoré’s ankle.
Marvin Anieboh then stunned the Stallions when he launched himself at Carlos Akapo’s cross to score with a looping header in the 85th minute.
Georgi Minoungou equalized in the fifth minute of stoppage time and Tapsoba headed the winner three minutes after that.
Later Wednesday in Group F, defending champion Ivory Coast began its title defense against Mozambique in Marrakech and five-time champion Cameroon opened against Gabon in the coastal city of Agadir.
