Celtic 3 Rangers 3 (aet 5-4 pens): Maeda penalty clinches Premier Sports Cup as Rodgers wins TENTH Hoops trophy
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Sponsored by. BRENDAN RODGERS may remember it as his imperfect ten. But the history books don’t show how a team wins cup finals. Just that they do. And for everything that was wrong with Celtic’s performance at Hampden yesterday, Bhoy, they did the all-important bit right.
![[Maeda is mobbed by jubilant team-mates after scoring winning penalty]](https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/daizen-maeda-celtic-celebrates-teammates-957703165.jpg?strip=all&quality=100&w=960)
Rodgers took his trophy haul as Hoops boss into double figures with this penalties Hampden victory over Rangers. Did his team play anywhere near as well as they can? No, they didn’t. Do they care? Nope, not one jot. Because when Daizen Maeda held his nerve to beat Jack Butland with the tenth kick of the shootout at the Rangers end - after Ridvan Yilmaz missed - the old trophy was on its way back to Parkhead.
![[Celtic captain Callum McGregor lifts the Premier Sports Cup]](https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/2024-celtics-callum-mcgregor-lifts-957705371.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
After it was all over Philippe Clement gathered his squad together to tell them they were so, so close to retaining the cup. But when push came to shove they didn’t do enough to get their hands back on it. It was a cup final that took a while to get going.
But once it did, the drama and excitement was off the charts. By Derek McGregor and Kenny MacDonald. CELTIC. KASPER SCHMEICHEL: Early stop from deflected Hagi shot. Held Balogun header. Pushed out Igamane shot for Bajrami tap-in. Beat away Cerny shot. Poor at Cerny cross for Danilo header. Shoot-out save turned it…7.
![[Bajrami celebrates after scoring the opener]](https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/rangers-nedim-bajrami-celebrates-scoring-957673842.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
ALISTAIR JOHNSTON: Recovered from a hip knock but troubled by Hagi. Also had Raskin over him like a rash during attacking forays. Solid second half. Replaced at 70 minutes and he was a miss…6. CAMERON CARTER-VICKERS: Unsure header from Tavernier long ball created Hagi chance. Magnificent defending to get a block on Bajrami when Gers were 4 on 2. Always a strong figure at back. Booked…7.
![[Greg Taylor after levelling it at 1-1]](https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/celebrates-celtics-reo-hatate-scoring-957680581.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
