Jota sinks Rangers in Scottish Cup to keep Celtic on course for treble

It will pain Rangers that the defining goal in this semi-final stemmed from the kind of amateur defending that has undermined them against Celtic routinely in recent times. Celtic will take their place in the Scottish Cup final against Inverness early next month, with an eighth domestic treble in the club’s history now looking a near certainty.

This was a typically messy and fraught tie. Jota proved the match-winner, stealing in to head in Daizen Maeda’s cross as the Rangers defence stood motionless. Immediately before this, Rangers players had halted in their tracks as Matt O’Riley claimed in vain for a Celtic free-kick. It was a bizarre act of self-harm from those in blue, with Maeda capitalising on hesitation to pinch the ball and cross into Jota’s path.

Rangers did offer a response, particularly in the second period. Joe Hart produced a reaction save from Fashion Sakala and James Tavernier struck a post. Sakala should have slotted home the rebound from the latter opportunity but fluffed his lines. Tavernier will feel he should have done better with a back-post header that he bounced over the crossbar.

Celtic, far from their fluent best, had a Kyogo Furuhashi drive that flashed over Allan McGregor’s goal frame. Connor Goldson made a fine last-ditch challenge to deny Maeda. Yet with the withdrawal of Alfredo Morelos, Rangers found themselves playing the closing stages without an orthodox centre-forward. One goal therefore always looked likely to prove sufficient for Celtic; and duly was.

Full match report to follow