Holders Celtic set up a first-ever Old Firm final in the Scottish Women’s Cup as they battled past Glasgow City at Hampden.
Natasha Flint’s first-half finish was enough for Fran Alonso’s side, despite a late red card for Natalie Ross, on a landmark weekend for the women’s game in Scotland, with both semi-finals held at the national stadium.
The defeat leaves league leaders City ruing a miserable week, with SWPL defeats by Celtic and Rangers blowing the title race wide open.
Celtic are two points off City, with Rangers a further point behind, setting up a dramatic conclusion ahead of the cup final on 28 May.
The age-old cliche of semi-finals being cagey affairs was taken to an extreme in the opening stages, with the referee reaching into his pocket to produce yellow three times in little more than six minutes.
Away from the heat of battle, Celtic attempted to probe with progressive passes out of the backline.
That tactic paid dividends when the City defence was cut open in an instant as Caitlin Hayes sliced the ball forward to Flint, whose composure allowed her open up her body and slam the ball home for the opener.
City’s response was reliant on the enterprise of Lauren Davidson, who fizzed the ball past the wrong side of a post moments after the goal.
She then forced goalkeeper Pamela Tajonar into the first real save of the game with an arrowed strike from 25 yards, as her side launched a counter after Amy Gallacher was denied by a brave block seconds earlier.
The vast Hampden surface gave both teams’ flair players ample space to play, as City midfielder Priscila Chinchilla showed in the second period.
The Costa Rica international dazzled her way past multiple Celtic bodies to tee up Hayley Lauder, but her effort bounded off target.
Chances were at a premium in the rest of the game as two sides tussling fiercely over the league title cancelled each other out.
The game’s stop-start nature still featured fascinating moments, as Celtic substitute Kit Loferski failed to make it onto the pitch after officials seemingly asked her to take an earring out. She was eventually swapped back out the side without having touched the Hampden turf.
Tajonar was twice called into action in the dying moments to ensure her side’s final berth, first keeping Lisa Forrest out with a sprawling leg before again denying Davidson with a flying save.
Although a late red shown to Ross threatened to spoil Celtic’s celebrations, their goalkeeper’s late heroics saw her lap up the adulation of her team-mates at full-time as her side sealed a second successive Scottish Cup final.
Celtic’s season back on track in woeful week for City – analysis
A week ago, Celtic boss Alonso would have likely told his players that two wins in a week over Glasgow City could change the complexion of the season.
They have rose to that challenge, narrowing the gap at the top of the league and booking a spot in the Scottish Cup final.
This encounter was far less enthralling than their league meeting last Sunday, but the brutal nature of cup football means that will be of little concern to the Spaniard.
Celtic may not have been at their best at Hampden, but they were clinical in their one real chance of the tie, setting up a showpiece final against Rangers.
In the same seven-day period, City’s season could well have crumbled before their very eyes. The league defeat by Celtic was a blow, the late loss against Rangers was a worry, and this cup exit underlines a truly miserable period for the previously unbeaten Leanne Ross.
They still lead the division, but their recent failings in the big encounters could prove a bruising psychological hurdle as they face off against both Old Firm sides again in the title run-in.
What they said
Celtic manager Fran Alonso: “It’s an incredible achievement. Since we’ve been working together, there’s been four cup finals and we’ve been in three of them. I’m so, so proud of my players.
“Our momentum is incredible. We are peaking and we planned to finish strong. Morale-wise, the players believe in their chances. Today, we should enjoy it, but we go again.”
Glasgow City manager Leanne Ross: “The game’s turned on two specific moments – the Celtic goal and the chance we have at the end. We’ve had two poor results, and there’s maybe some nerves in terms of this being a semi-final.
“They’re sitting in there disappointed and they know that we’ve now got six cup finals to win the league. It’s in our hands, we’re two points ahead. I’m expecting a huge response and I’d be very disappointed if I didn’t get it.”
Source – BBC Sport
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