Kyogo knocks in the opening goal at Hampden Kyogo Furuhashi scored twice as Celtic got the better of Old Firm rivals Rangers at a tumorous Hampden to retain the Viaplay Cup. The striker took his season tally to 24 goals with two close-range finishes either side of the interval, repeating his brace from last term’s final. Alfredo Morelos reduced the deficit but Rangers could not find a way back against more assured opponents and Celtic missed opportunities to increase the margin of victory in a frantic finish. This was a seventh League Cup victory in nine years for Celtic and, with a healthy nine-point lead in the Premiership and just one domestic defeat all season, manager Ange Postecoglou is well placed to at least match the double of his debut campaign. For Michael Beale, it was a first loss in 15 games in charge of Rangers, which leaves the Ibrox club without a success in this tournament since 2011. Amid the sound and fury from the stands, Celtic started in composed fashion as Rangers s struggled to find a rhythm. The biggest cheers from the febrile crowd were reserved for robust challenges until Kyogo almost found a way through on 20 minutes. The Celtic hero stumbled slightly as he stole in behind and then found his path blocked by the sprawling Allan McGregor . The veteran goalkeeper got up quickly to push away a low shot from Jota. Fashion Sakala provided a couple of menacing thrusts for Rangers before Cameron Carter-Vickers slid in to knock a dangerous cross from Ibrox skipper James Tavernier narrowly beyond his own post. Kyogo fired just wide of the top corner from 18 yards, slashed at a good chance and headed over the top in a flurry of attacks before making the breakthrough on 44 minutes. Celtic patiently worked the ball down the left and, when Daizen Maeda missed Greg Taylor’s driven pass at the front post, Kyogo was all alone to stroke in a simple finish from a central position. Rangers came within a whisker of a rapid response at the start of the second half when Ry an Kent drilled an angled shot against the base of the post and Sakala could only find the side-netting from the rebound. The angle was tight, but it was a bad miss from the winger, who had Morelos screaming for a pass. Celtic made the most of that let-off, with Kyogo knocking in his second goal of the day soon after. Aaron Mooy and Reo Hatate combined to unlock the Rangers defense, with the latter delivering the telling cross for a sliding Kyogo to force in. Rangers hauled themselves back into the game on 64 minutes when Morelos was alert to finish as Celtic failed to deal with a lofted free-kick from the left. That breathed new life into the team in blue, as did a trio of midfield changes, but they could not seriously threatened Joe Hart’s goal again. The match grew increasingly stretched and tetchy, with referee Nick Walsh dishing out yellow cards left, right and center in the closing stages. With Rangers leaving huge gaps at the back, McGregor made a good save to deny Matt O’Riley and fel low substitute Oh Hyeon-gyu rolled a one-on-one chance wide, but there was to be no ruining those chances for Postecoglou’s triumphant side. Player of the match – Kyogo Furuhashi Who else? The Celtic striker is a lethal presence in the penalty box and came up trumps for his side yet again’Special’ Kyogo delivers more silverware for Celtic – analysisCeltic were on top for long spells, completely bossing the first half, with Callum McGregor, Mooy and Hatate providing cool heads and neat midfield interchanges.Wingers Maeda and Jota were not quite at the same level but Kyogo, who sunk Hibernian in the final last year, more than compensated with two poacher’s goals, once again proving elusive for defenders with his smart movement. “A special player,” said admiring skipper McGregor in his on-pitch interview. Celtic also did a good job of stifling Rangers’ threat out wide, making sure Kent and Sakala could not grow in influence. Beale’s side had their moments, but they were too few and they were al ways playing catch up from a sluggish opening. Substitutes Nicolas Raskin and Todd Cantwell added menace in the middle of the park immediately after Morelos struck and things may have turned out differently if those recent recruits had been trusted to start. This was a from poorer display the 2-2 derby draw early January and that will trouble the Ibrox boss as he seeks to bridge the gap. Player of the matchCarter-VickersCameron Carter-VickersRangersSquad number2Player nameTavernierSquad number1Player nameMcGregorSquad number26Player nameDaviesSquad number6Player nameGoldsonSquad number31Player nameBarisicSquad number20Player nameMorelosSquad number14Player nameKentSquad number71Player nameTillmanSquad number30Player nameSakalaSquad number18Player nameKamaraSquad number4Player nameLundstramSquad number43Player nameRaskinSquad number8Player nameJackSquad number13Player nameCantwellSquad number9Player nameColakSquad number23Player nameWrightCelticSquad number20Player nameCarter-VickersSquad number38Player nameMaedaSquad number2Player nameJohnstonSquad number13Player nameMooySquad number9Player nameHaksabanovicSquad number33Player nameO’RileySquad number17Player nameJotaSquad number4Player nameStarfeltSquad number24Player nameIwataSquad number11Player nameAbadaSquad number19Player nameOh Hyeon-GyuSquad number41Player nameHatateSquad number8Player nameFuruhashiSquad number3Player nameTaylorSquad number1Player nameHartSquad number42Player nameMcGregorLine-upsRangersFormation 4-3-31McGregor2Tavernier6Goldson26Davies31Barisic71Tillman4Lundstram18Kamara30Sakala20Morelos14Kent1McGregor2Tavernier6Goldson26Davies31BarisicBooked at 90mins71TillmanSubstituted forJackat 65’minutes4LundstramBooked at 50minsSubstituted forCantwellat 65’minutesBooked at 90mins18KamaraBooked at 58minsSubstituted forRaskinat 65’minutes30SakalaSubstituted forWrightat 85’minutes20MorelosSubstituted forColakat 76’minutesBooked at 90mins14KentBooked at 90minsSubstitutes7Hagi8Jack9Colak13Cantwell23Wright33McL aughlin37Arfield43Raskin44DevineCelticFormation 4-3-31Hart2Johnston20Carter-Vickers4Starfelt3Taylor13Mooy42McGregor41Hatate17Neves Filipe8Furuhashi38Maeda1Hart2JohnstonBooked at 90mins20Carter-Vickers4Starfelt3TaylorBooked at 70mins13MooySubstituted forO’Rileyat 65’minutes42McGregor41HatateSubstituted forIwataat 76’minutes17Neves FilipeSubstituted forAbadaat 64’minutesBooked at 83mins8FuruhashiSubstituted forOhat 76’minutesBooked at 79mins38MaedaSubstituted forHaksabanovicat 84’minutesSubstitutes9Haksabanovic11Abada14Turnbull18Kobayashi19Oh24Iwata29Bain33O’Riley56RalstonReferee:Nick WalshAttendance:49,529Live TextMatch ends, Rangers 1, Celtic 2. Second Half ends, Rangers 1, Celtic 2. Attempt missed. Sead Haksabanovic (Celtic) right footed shot from the right side of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Oh Hyeon -Gyu with a headed pass following a fast break. Todd Cantwell (Rangers) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. Attempt saved. Matt O’Riley (Celtic) left footed sho t from the center of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Tomoki Iwata.Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Allan McGregor.Delay over. They are ready to continue.Delay in match because of an injury Callum McGregor (Celtic) .Antonio-Mirko Colak (Rangers) is shown the yellow card.Alistair Johnston (Celtic) is shown the yellow card.Borna Barisic (Rangers) is shown the yellow card.Ryan Kent (Rangers) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul .Tomoki Iwata (Celtic) wins a free kick on the right wing.Foul by Ryan Kent (Rangers).Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Connor Goldson.Attempt saved. Sead Haksabanovic (Celtic) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Alistair Johnston. Liel Abada (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Dangerous play by Scott Wright (Rangers). Offside, Celtic. Sead Haksabanovic tries a through ball, but Matt O ‘Riley is caught offside. Greg Taylor (Celtic) wins a free kick on the left wing.
