Celtic win dramatic Scottish Cup final to ease pressure on Neil Lennon as Kristoffer Ajer nets decisive spot-kick after 3-3 draw against Hearts at Hampden Park
- Ryan Christie curled a fine strike into the top corner from 20 yards in the 19th
- Odsonne Edouard scored from the spot following a Christophe Berra handball
- Liam Boyce pulled one back when he met Andy Halliday’s cross with a header
- Stephen Kingsley’s back post header crept over the line to level the scores
- Leigh Griffiths put Celtic in front in extra-time with a rebound from close range
- Josh Ginnelly equalised from close range following Conor Hazard’s mistake
Scottish champions Celtic beat Heart of Midlothian 4-3 on penalties in the Scottish Cup final to clinch an unprecedented domestic ‘quadruple-treble’ at Hampden Park in Glasgow on Sunday.
Celtic have now won all three domestic trophies — the Scottish Premiership, Scottish Cup and Scottish League Cup – for the fourth successive year.
Celtic were declared 2019-20 league champions after the Premiership season ended early due to the COVID-19 pandemic while they won the League Cup last December after beating arch rivals Rangers 1-0 in the final.
Celtic lift the Scottish Cup after a nail-biting victory over Hearts at Hampden Park
Leigh Griffiths poses for a snap with his delighted boss Neil Lennon after trophy celebrations
Celtic’s Kristoffer Ajer scores the winning penalty in Sunday’s Scottish Cup Final
Celtic’s players react after watching Ajer seal victory in the shootout at Hampden Park
MATCH FACTS
Celtic: Hazard, Ajer, Jullien, Duffy (Johnston 91), Taylor (Laxalt 83), Brown (Soro 106), McGregor, Christie, Turnbull (Rogic, 68), Elyounoussi (Frimpong 83), Edouard (Griffiths 97);
Subs not used: Barkas, Bitton, Kilmala
Scorers: Christie (19), Edouard (29), Grffiths (105)
Booked: Elyounoussi, Ajer, McGregor, Jullien
Hearts: Gordon, Smith, Halkett, Berra, Kingsley, Irving (Frear 109), Halliday (Haring 91), Walker (Ginnelly 57), Naismith, White (Lee 82), Boyce (Wighton 70);
Subs not used: Roberts, Stewart, Popescu, Henderson
Scorers: Boyce (48), Kingsley (67), Ginnelly (111)
Booked: Gordon, Halliday, Walker, Naismith, Wighton, Smith
PENALTIES
Celtic
Griffiths scores
McGregor scores
Christie misses
Johnston scores
Ajer scores
Hearts
Naismith scores
Smith scores
Lee scores
Wighton misses
Kingsley misses
In Sunday’s final, Celtic’s Ryan Christie scored the opener before Odsonne Edouard doubled their lead from the spot within the first half hour.
But Hearts bounced back in the second half with goals from Liam Boyce and Stephen Kingsley to force the game into extra time.
Leigh Griffiths put Celtic in the lead in the first half of extra time before Josh Ginnelly fired an equaliser to make it 3-3 to force penalties.
Ryan Christie gave Celtic the lead with a fine curling effort from just outside the box
Christie (2nd left) is congratulated by his team-mates after opening the scoring against Hearts
Odsonne Edouard doubled Celtic’s lead with a Panenka penalty 10 minutes later
Edouard celebrates after scoring his side’s second goal in the Scottish Cup final
Liam Boyce pulled one back for Hearts when he met Andy Halliday’s cross with a header
Celtic’s Conor Hazard was the hero in the shootout after making two saves before Christopher Ajer sealed victory with the final spot-kick.
The result could give Celtic a kickstart in their current campaign where they lie second in the Premiership standings, 16 points behind Rangers with three games in hand, while they were dumped out of the League Cup by Ross County last month.
Boyce celebrates after halving the deficit three minutes after half-time at Hampden Park
Stephen Kingsley wheels away in celebration after equalising during the second half
Leigh Griffiths celebrates after putting his side back in fron in the first half of extra-time
Josh Ginnelly shows his delight after drawing his side level in the second half of extra-time
More to follow…
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