CELTIC won the City of Glasgow Cup with a stunning last-gasp strike at Paradise from Robbie Deas. With just seconds remaining at the end of five added minutes, the defender smashed home a superb goal to make it 3-2 for the Hoops.

It was a dramatic end to a hugely entertaining contest, and left the Celtic fans in the Main Stand at Celtic Park jubilant.

Both sides looked for early chances in the game, and it was Rangers who almost opened the scoring on eight minutes. The ball was cut back to Glenn Middleton on the edge of the six-yard box, but Celtic right-back Wallace Duffy slid in to block the shot when it looked as though it would end up in the back of the net.

Stephen Kelly was finding space in midfield for Rangers, but once the Hoops cut out that threat, they started to exert control of the game and took the lead on 18 minutes. Armstrong Oko-Flex fed the ball to Jack Aitchison inside the box, and the Hoops striker switched the ball on to his right foot before slotting it beyond Kieran Wright in the Rangers goal.

Celtic then had the woodwork to thank on the half-hour mark when Jamie Barjonas’ powerful shot smashed off the bar before it was cleared to safety.

Mikey Johnston was looking dangerous every time he got the ball, and he combined well with Aitchison to win a free-kick 22 yards from goal. And it was Johnston who curled home a precise finish from the set-piece to put Celtic 2-0 ahead and in control of the cup final.

Indeed, they should have made it 3-0 on the stroke of half-time when Johnston slid a ball across the six-yard box for the inrushing Ewan Henderson, but his left-foot effort spun over the bar.

Four minutes into the second-half, Tommy McIntyre was forced to make a change, with Aitchison forced off through injury, to be replaced by Cameron Harper. And it was Rangers who came close to reducing the deficit just after the hour mark when Andy Dallas fired over from 10 yards out.

Mikey Johnston had a chance with just over 20 minutes remaining, shooting narrowly wide from just outside the area, but he picked up a knock and had to be substituted.

Celtic looked to be in control of the game before Middleton fired home a left-foot shot from a tight angle inside the box with 12 minutes remaining. And it was Middleton who produced a superb equaliser with five minutes remaining, his blistering 25-yard shot leaving Ryan Mullen in the Celtic goal with no chance.

However, Mullen came to Celtic’s rescue in the first minute of added time, pushing away Middleton’s free-kick, with Rhys Breen unable to convert the rebound.

But just as it looked as the game was heading for a penalty shoot-out, Robbie Deas produced a superb winner, his right-foot shot hit high into the roof of the net to send his team-mates and the Celtic supporters wild with delight as the City of Glasgow trophy returned to Paradise.

CELTIC: Mullen, Duffy (Savoury 80), Church, Deas, Welsh, Coffey, Dembele (Robertson 80), Henderson, Aitchison (Harper 49), Johnston (McLaughlin 72), Oko-Flex.
Subs: Willison, Kennedy, Diver,

RANGERS: Wright, Finlayson, Shiels, Palmer, Mayo, Breen, McPake, Barjonas, Dallas, Kelly, Middleton.
Subs: Hogarth, Mebude, Kennedy, Williamson, King, O’Connor, Dickson

#CelticFC #GlasgowCup
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