Shootout Win For Colts

Rangers 2 Celtic 2 (Rangers won 5-4 on penalties)

The drama of a penalty shootout saw Rangers progress to the Glasgow Cup final at the expense of their city rivals. With the shootout sitting at 4-4 after the first eight penalties were scored, Lewis Budinauckas dived to his left to parry Ben Wylie’s penalty setting up Charlie McCann to win it by converting Rangers fifth spot kick.

Celtic took the lead in the twelfth minute, Karamoko Dembele combined with Ben Wylie to send Johnny Kenny to the right hand byline, the striker’s ball across the six yard box presented Michael Johnston with a tap in. Ten minutes later Michael Johnston exchanged passes with Karamoko Dembele but was denied by a brilliant Adam Devine challenge, the ball broke to Ben Wylie who saw his shot deflected wide of the keeper’s left hand post.

Rangers immediate response saw Adam Devine and Ross McCausland combine on the right, the ball was passed inside to Charlie McCann who’s shot from the edge of the box forced Tobi Oluwayemi to dive to his left to make the save. Rangers threatened on the hour mark when Adam Devine passed to Ross McCausland a superb turn took him to the byline and his ball into the six yard box forced Christopher Jullien to clear.

Sixty seconds later were level with a superb goal, Alex Lowry on the left hand byline picked out Ross McCausland on the edge of the box, the Rangers winger met it on the volley giving Tobi Oluwayemi no chance as it beat the keeper low to his left. With the half entering the final ten minutes Ben Wylie cut in from the right and his shot from the edge of the box saw Lewis Budinauckas save low to his left.

Both sides had a chance in the final five minutes of the half, Karamoko Dembele passed to Johnny Kenny inside the right side of the box, his cross to the back post was volleyed goalwards by Michael Johnston which Lewis Budinauckas saved comfortably. Rangers reply was a Charlie McCann twenty-five yarder that required a routine save from Tobi Oluwayemi low to his left.

Half-Time:- Rangers 1 Celtic 1

Rangers had the first chance of the half a couple of minutes in when Adam Devine broke into the right side of the penalty area with Tobi Oluwayemi making the block. A couple of minutes later Christopher Jullien passed the ball forward to Mackenzie Carse who was initially denied by a great Charlie McCann challenge and when the ball broke back to the Celtic midfielder Lewis Budinauckas was forced to save at his near post.

The fifty-seventh minute saw end to end chances, Kyle McClelland’s cushioned header teed up a shooting chance for Ross McCausland from the edge of the box that Tobi Oluwayemi saved low to his left. Karamoko Dembele on the right hand angle of the box passed inside to Ben Wylie and his shot saw Lewis Budinauckas make a similar save.

Celtic threatened again with Charlie McCann blocking Ben Summers effort, the ball broke to Karamoko Dembele and he forced a save from Lewis Budinauckas at his near post. Just beyond the hour mark Celtic took the lead, Karamoko Dembele went past two Rangers defenders as he broke down the right, his ball into the six yard box was poked past Lewis Budinauckas by Ben Summers.

Rangers were back on level terms with a quarter hour remaining and it was another superb goal, Charlie McCann picked out Cole McKinnon’s run into the box with a brilliant chipped pass, the midfielder controlled the ball before slipping it past Tobi Oluyameni. Lewis Budinauckas was called into action within a minute, reacting to divert Karamoko Dembele’s deflected shot from inside the right side of the penalty area wide of his near post.

With twelve minutes remaining Adam Devine in possession on the right passed inside to Ross McCausland and a great turn allowed him to get a shot away which was just wide of the far post. Rangers had the final chance of the ninety minutes, the ball moving from Cole McKinnon through Charlie McCann to Alex Lowry who shot just wide of the keeper’s right hand post.

And so to the penalty shootout, Leon King, Cole McKinnon, Alex Lowry and Robbie Fraser scoring their penalties and with Ben Summers, Michael Johnston, Adam Brooks and Rocco Vata doing the same. Setting it up for that Lewis Budinauckas save and Charlie McCann’s conversion to take Rangers through.

Full-Time:- Rangers 2 Celtic 2 (Rangers won 5-4 on penalties)

Rangers:- Lewis Budinauckas; Adam Devine, Kyle McClelland, Leon King, Robbie Fraser; Murray Miller; Cole McKinnon, Charlie McCann; Ross McCausland, Tony Weston (Robbie Ure 62mins), Alex Lowry.

Not Used:- Jay Hogarth (Gk), Greig Allen, Johnly Yfeko, Charlie Lindsay, Kane Ritchie-Hosler, Arron Lyall.

Celtic:- Tobi Oluyameni; Josh Dede (Dylan Corr HT), Christopher Jullien, Ewan Otto, Brody Paterson; Bosun Lawal (Tsoanelo Lotsosa 82 mins); Ben Wylie, Mackenzie Carse (Ben Summers 59 mins); Karamoko Dembele (Rocco Vata 88 mins), Johnny Kenny (Adam Brooks 59 mins), Michael Johnston.

Not Used:- Joe Morrison (Gk), Joey Dawson.