Celts step up

Bhoys earn seventh consecutive trophy in their hot pursuit of treble treble glory

RYAN Christie was the hero as Celtic made it a magnificent seven successive trophy wins with a 1-0 victory over Aberdeen in the Betfred Cup final at Hampden Park.

The midfielder, who had two spells on loan at the Pittodrie club prior to this season, scored what proved to be the winner with a shot in added time at the end of the first half.

Dons keeper Joe Lewis brilliantly saved Scott Sinclair’s controversial penalty in the 52nd minute of a pulsating second half.

Since taking charge in 2016, boss Brendan Rodgers has won every piece of silverware on offer and this victory — the 18th in the competition for Celtic — is the first step towards a domestic treble treble.

Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes has now lost three cup finals to Celtic during the Hoops’ period of domination which shows no sign of abating, but his side put up a valiant display.

For Rodgers, he can do no wrong in Scottish football.

He made only one change from the side which started the 1-0 Europa League win over Rosenborg in Trondheim with deputy keeper Scott Bain taking over from Craig Gordon, CELTIC: Bain, Lustig, Boyata (Simunovic, 60 mins) Benkovic, Tierney, McGregor, Christie, Rogic (Brown, 64 mins), Forrest (Ntcham, 86 mins), Sinclair, Edouard. Unused subs: Gordon, Gamboa, Hayes, Griffiths. ABERDEEN: Lewis, Logan, McKenna, Considine, Lowe, Shinnie, McGinn

as he had done in previous rounds of the competition.

McInnes went with the burly figure of Sam Cosgrove in attack and there was no sign of any Aberdeen reticence in the rough and tumble first half.

Hoops midfielder Tom Rogic struck the outside of the post in the seventh minute with a left-footed snap-shot from 25 yards before James Forrest’s attempt with the outside of his right foot escaped keeper Lewis’s right-hand post by a yard.

Bain was tested in the 16th minute with a close-range shot from Andrew Considine following a corner although the flag was up for offside.

Aberdeen battled for a share of possession and in the 36th minute midfielder Lewis Ferguson headed a Niall McGinn corner over the bar.

Two minutes later Bain saved a header from Gary Mackay-Steven who in the process clattered heads with Dedryck Boyata.

The Hoops defender was (Wilson, 70 mins), Mackay-Steven (McLennan, 5mins), Ball, Fergusson, Cosgrove (Anderson, 79 mins). Unused subs: Cerny, Gleeson, Wright, May. Referee: Andrew Dallas

Man of the match: Ryan Christie Match rating: 6/10

able to play on after treatment but the former Celt, after a lengthy spell of attention, was taken off in a stretcher.

There were six added minutes at the end of the first half and just before they came to an end Celtic went ahead.

Christie raced onto a long pass from Boyata, forced his way past Dons captain Graeme Shinnie and slammed the ball high into the net after his first shot had been parried.

There was drama seven minutes after the break when Dons midfielder Dominic Ball was judged by referee Andrew Dallas to have handled a Christie pass inside the box.

It looked not only accidental but outside the area — but Lewis got to his right to push Sinclair’s penalty behind.

Defender Jozo Simunovic replaced Boyata on the hour and his attempted clearance smacked off his own crossbar.

However, Aberdeen ran out of time before Celtic fans celebrated another trophy win.