Celtic vs Motherwell. Scottish Cup Final.
Hampden ParkAttendance49,967.
Sunday 20 May 2018 07:38, UK
Celtic made history on Saturday as they sealed the double treble with their 2-0 Scottish Cup victory against Motherwell.
Brendan Rodgers' side had already secured the Scottish Premiership and Scottish League Cup titles for the second season in a row, and became the first side in Scotland to win all three cups in successive years with the win at Hampden Park.
Both goals came early in the first half, with Callum McGregor (11) and Olivier Ntcham (25) putting Celtic out of sight, although Motherwell did make it a nervy finish as Gael Bigirimana's free-kick hit the crossbar.
But it could not inspire a comeback as Celtic saw out the game to lift the Scottish Cup, and create history in the process.
It took just over 10 minutes for Celtic to take the lead. Tom Rogic floated a cross into the area but Charles Dunne's clearance only made it as far as McGregor, who powered home a superb effort into the back of the net.
The chances for Celtic kept coming, and 14 minutes later, they nabbed their second. Rogic was involved again as he slid the ball into the feet of Dembele, who held it up brilliantly before playing in Ntcham, whose low, hard shot whistled past Trevor Carson.
Motherwell could have instantly replied, but Curtis Main could only fire an effort high and wide from the edge of the area. He then tested Craig Gordon at the start of the second half, with the goalkeeper forcing a fine strike over the crossbar at the near post.
The goalkeepers were both called into action within minutes of each other as the clock ticked past the hour mark, with Gordon collecting a long-range effort from Christopher Cadden before Carson nearly spilled an effort from Kristoffer Ajer but managed to eventually gather the ball.
Carson was on hand to deny Dembele in the 71st minute with a stunning save as the Frenchman headed towards goal from close range, but the stretching goalkeeper made a one-handed save before putting Dembele's follow-up shot wide with his legs.
But Motherwell finished the game strongly and could have pulled a goal back in the 80th minute as Bigirimana delivered a free kick, but it smashed against the crossbar before Cadden's header just went wide of the post not long after.
It was a superb afternoon for McGregor, who opened the scoring for Celtic and was a nuisance all over the pitch for the remainder of the game.
He played a number of good passes into the box, and should be pleased with his performance on Saturday.
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers: "This is a day that will last forever. I said before the game that there are not too many days in your life that you will wake up with a chance of creating history. There have been different eras during the great history of the game up here. But in all that time a double treble was never achieved. My satisfaction is for the club and the joy that it will give people tonight."
Motherwell manager Stephen Robinson: "I thought we lost the game in the first 20, 25 minutes, we didn't go right against them as we planned to. Credit to McGregor for a wonderful strike and the second one takes a deflection. Maybe against lesser players if you sit off them you don't get punished. Against Celtic you do. I couldn't be prouder of my boys but their quality and the two strikes were the difference between the sides."
