Rangers retained the League Cup with a 2-1 win over Celtic at Hampden this afternoon in a final that pulsated from first minute to last.
It was very much a game of two halves – Rangers infinitely the superior in a first-half when the pace and skill of the Ibrox front men tore Celtic’s defence to shreds, and the Parkhead side powering their way back into the game in the second.
There were five changes from last week’s ‘Old Firm’ League encounter – three for Rangers and two for Celtic with Claudio Caniggia, Ronald De Boer and Michael Mols replacing Maurice Ross, Neil McCann and Shota Arveladze. For Celtic Henrik Larsson and Jamie Smith came in for Stilian Petrov and Didier Agathe as all of their massive injury list miraculously cleared up.
With Fernando Ricksen moving back to right-back, there was a concern amongst the Light Blue legions over a lack of strength in midfield, and it was Celtic who made the early running, yet in a swift counter-attack in 13 minutes Rangers almost snatched the opening goal when a long ball from Jerome Bonnissel released Peter Lovenkrands who superbly chipped Robert Douglas only to see his effort scooped off the line by Joos Valgaeren.
Two minutes later another quick break saw Lovenkrands breaking across the halfway line only to be scythed down by Paul Lambert. The Celtic Captain could consider himself somewhat fortunate to receive only a ticking-off from Referee Kenny Clark.
Jamie Smith – playing wide on the right – was providing a fresh challenge to the Ibrox defence – a burrowing run in seventeen minutes ending in a left-foot shot that was held by Stefan Klos.
Five minutes later however Rangers opened the scoring when a superb opening created by De Boer found Lovenkrands whose effort was parried by Douglas, the rebound being just inches away from the inrushing Mols, but not from Caniggia who stroked the ball into the net. It was the second successive League Cup Final in which the Argentinian has scored.
The Rangers End erupted – whilst at the other end the terrorist banners of the IRA and Palestine drooped in disbelief.
The first yellow card of the afternoon arrived on the half-hour when Alan Thompson fouled Ricksen. There was a distasteful aftermath when both Thompson and Celtic Manager Martin O’Neill shouted abuse at the stricken Ranger who required extensive treatment before resuming.
Rangers were rampant now – and four minutes later it was 2-0 when Lovenkrands went through on a Mols pass to leave the advancing Douglas without an earthly.
It was the Dane’s sixth goal against the club’s bitter rivals, and the ‘Gers were now in total command.
Celtic however were never going to lie down meekly – Lambert executed a perfect dive in 38 minutes to win an unwarranted free-kick that Larsson drove inches wide from 22 yards as the ‘Gers fans sang "Same old Celtic – always cheating."
Sixty seconds later it was almost 3-0 when another lightning counter-attack found Caniggia free on the left, his cutback to Mols being laid off into the path of Ricksen whose goal-bound drive was deflected just wide.
Rangers were in control – yet an act of wanton carelessness by Lorenzo Amoruso in 43 minutes almost allowed Celtic back into the game when his crossfield pass was intercepted by John Hartson. A square ball to Larsson resulted in a fierce drive that was touched over by Stefan Klos.
The half ended in controversy when in two separate incidents Bobo Balde felled both Lovenkrands and Mols with blows to the face off the ball, yet escaped scot-free as both referee and linesmen somehow missed both incidents.
Rangers had comprehensively outclassed their opponents during the opening forty-five minutes with the Dutch duo of Ronald De Boer and Michael Mols in superb form, ably backed by the rejuvenated Peter Lovenkrands.
Celtic restarted on the offensive, coming close seven minutes into the second-half when Larsson shot wide from a Mjallby pass, then John Hartson was inches away with a twenty-yard volley after Jamie Smith’s cross was headed clear by Craig Moore.
The pressure was intense – and the deficit was duly halved in 56 minutes when Larsson’s header from a Smith corner deflected off Lovenkrands into the net.
It was a different game now – and five minutes later Arteta – as at Parkhead – was guilty of an appalling error in the middle of the park when his slack pass went straight to Larsson who advanced before passing to Hartson. The English striker found the net with a low drive only for the goal to be disallowed for offside.
Rangers had their backs against the wall – and suffered another blow in 64 minutes when the limping Bonnissel was substituted by Ross.
Sixty seconds later the two-goal margin was almost restored when Caniggia’s drive from an Arteta pass flashed across the face of goal.
Alan Thompson could consider himself fortunate to remain on the park when – midway through the second-half – he chopped down Barry Ferguson yet escaped without a second yellow card, then almost immediately Arteta’s pass found Caniggia whose effort was touched just wide by Douglas.
Celtic almost drew level in 77 minutes when – in a carbon copy of the earlier goal – Thompson’s corner found Larsson whose header was touched over by Klos, and the Parkhead men suffered a further blow when Sutton retired injured, having been on the receiving end of a Balde charge. Shaun Maloney replaced him whilst Mikel Arteta was substituted by Bert Konterman.
Maloney was on the park just two minutes when another soft free-kick presented him with a golden opportunity to demonstrate his greatest asset. Ferguson bravely blocked the drive, but was knocked out cold for his troubles.
With time running out, Celtic’s desperation was increasing, as was amply demonstrated when Neil Lennon was yellow-carded for a push on Ricksen off the ball.
Two minutes later the Irishman saw red when he blatantly struck substitute Shota Arveladze in the face. It might even have been a straight red, but Kenny Clark contented himself with a second yellow and subsequent red.
The game had one more twist in the tail when Amoruso’s challenge on Balde was incredibly judged to be illegal – and a penalty awarded in 89 minutes.
It was the softest award imaginable – yet Hartson stepped forward to send his spot-kick wide of the post.
Many Celtic fans must have asked why Henrik Larsson did not take the penalty – but whatever the reason the final whistle sounded after five minutes of injury time to signal Rangers’ 23rd League Cup success – and moreover a victory for football.
Manager Alex McLeish afterwards was fulsome in his praise of his players:
"We stood up to be counted today – we had a fantastic first-half. We were written off last week, but Ronald De Boer proved what a massive presence he brings to the team. The players are always under massive pressure to deliver – they deserve praise."
Celtic Manager Martin O’Neil said:
"I am proud of my players – the second-half was one-way traffic. The Hartson goal should never have been disallowed. Neil Lennon’s red card was most unfair. Why was Amoruso not sent off at the penalty?"
Sportsmanlike to the end.
Only one team can win the treble now.
RANGERS Klos; Ricksen, Moore, Amoruso, Bonnissel (Ross 64); Caniggia, Ferguson, Arteta (Konterman 78), De Boer (Arveladze 84); Mols, Lovenkrands
UNUSED SUBS McCann, McGregor
CELTIC Douglas; Valgaeren, Balde, Mjallby (Petrov 87); Smith (Sylla 66), Lennon, Sutton (Maloney 78), Lambert, Thompson; Larsson, Hartson
UNUSED SUBS McNamara, Marshall
REFEREE Kenny Clark