2015-04-19: Celtic 2-3 Inverness CT, Scottish Cup

Match Pictures | Matches: 2014 – 2015 | 2014-15 Pictures

Trivia

• Scottish Cup Semi-Final at Hampden Park
• 1-1 at full time, 3-2 to ICT after extra time.
• Uproar from Celtic fans as Celtic not given clear blatant penalty from handball which would have been two nil if converted before half time.
• Craig Gordon sent off for last man challenge/foul. Zaluska took his place and conceded three goals.
• For some reason the Celtic players were skidding and sliding all over the pitch, yet didn't seem to affect the ICT players as much.
• Celtic were aiming for treble in Deila's first season. Finishing now with the double of league and league cup instead, still a wonderful achievement.
• Falkirk beat Hibernian 1-0 in other match to reach final.
• Fans in uproar as this match was scheduled for 12.15pm, which doesn't help the ICT fans get to the stadium easily (especially due to rail times). Sadly little support from MSM over this.
• Celtic made public statement and complaint about the ticket prices being excessive for one of the Celtic ends (North Stand).
• Celtic have lost 5 games in #Scotland this season. Steven McLean has been referee for 3 of them. #SPFL #ScottishFA are not fit for purpose

Review

(jbj712 of KDS)
Shocking performance from the ref – but nothing new there!
Poor display from too many of our players – a cup semi final requires people to fight their corner.
We were second best in too many places.
Matthews was at fault for all three goals – poor weak pass back exposed CG for the first.
Second he should have stopped the cross and at the third he should have blocked off Shinnie but lost out again
Britton and Brown outnumbered and out muscled in Centre midfield
LG too easily out muscled up front
KC not interested – the list could go on
RD now knows exactly what he is up against in trying to win a treble
The way the game is allowed to go in Scotland you have to be strong in either penalty box if you want to win cup ties
Over the course of the league our smaller better quality players will prevail but in one off games that the ref can effect you need to be strong enough to look after yourselves
Brown apart we have no one really capable of physically dominating their opponent – today even JD and VVD struggled against journeymen who were prepared to put it about and keep on doing so when the ref constantly let them off.
The last CFC team to do the treble had plenty of technical ability but they could also look after themselves when it became a battle!
That will be RD's challenge in the summer to make us physically stronger in the middle of the park and up front – so that we have a plan B to combat situations like today!

(paul james 213 of KDS)
I have never understood why Celtic are expected to play by a different set of rules from everyone else in the history of the game. People like Richard Gordon seem to be saying that if Celtic don't get into a 2 goal lead, anything that happens afterwards is utterly inadmissible and there are no grounds for complaint regardless of what happens.

' Despite shocking refereeing decisions Celtic should be good enough to beat..', how far does this go? If the Caley player handles the ball on the line and denies a goal on 2 separate occasions are Celtic still expected to be good enough to overcome that? How about 3 times? How many red cards can Celtic legitimately be expected to overcome?

Football is not like basketball with points scored repeatedly, goals and goalscoring opportunities are relatively scarce and the game turns on small margins. Considering that Celtic were playing against a professional team with professional levels of fitness and a level of technical skill, it was unrealistic to expect they weren't going to create chances at some point.

However, if they are 2 goals down and down to ten men i'd be surprised if they create the opportunity for the penalty and even if they do, at best it brings parity in terms of players and halves the goal deficit. What happened today was to wipe out the goal deficit and give them a man advantage i.e. utterly turn the game in their favour.

(Moravcik67 of KDS)
The last goal was an abomination, with plenty of blame to share around.

As ICT players pass it amongst themselves, Guidetti strolls about the half way line with the urgency of a man who's carrying in his pockets £30,000 he's just been paid in pennies. Don't think he got within 20 feet of closing anyone down. Brown does some good hustling to force them back over the halfway line. Guidetti again just saunters about, with no interest in doing the same, as ICT bring it over to their left and into our half.

Johansen closes down, but shows the turning speed of a very slow continent, and is easily passed by the ICT left back. Ball is passed up to the edge of the box. Denayer nips in first, takes the ball forward a couple of yards, and looks for the pass. And looks for the pass. And looks for the pass. As much looking and thinking and deciding as a fat guy with a "anything you want for free" voucher in Pizza Hut. And while he's still looking for the pass, the ICT player he originally beat to the ball has washed his car, popped in to his mums for a sunday roast, and been down the pub for a couple of games of darts with his mates before nipping the ball back away from the bold, but slow, Jason.

The ball bobbles about a bit and lands at the right boot of the not so bold Izzy, who launches into orbit an attempted clearance which does two things. Firstly, it knocks Charlie Nicholas' penalty against Neuchatel Xamax back out of the orbit it has maintained around the earth for the last 23 and a half years. Secondly, it comes back to earth about 10 yards further forward that from where it was blootered into space. Brown then attempts to outmuscle the Mr Sheen model in an attempt to win the Izzy-blootered meteorite from outer space. He fails. The ball bounces, an ICT player goes to take a touch and Brown nips it off his toes back towards our goal – only to play an inviting ball for the ICT forward to latch on to.

It eventually comes to Watkins, who casually strolls along the edge of our box in the manner of a large arsehole on legs who knows he's got as much time on his hands as a Scottish Labour MP will have this time next month. He stops to have a chat with Shinnie, before exchanging the ball for the PS Vita that Shinnie was playing while he waited for a Celtic player to close him down. Shinnie plays a 1-2 with yet another Inverness player – who also happens to have no Celtic player within tackling shouting distance of him. He bursts through the gap of Matthews and Denayer – which is akin to bursting through the gap between Glasgow and Dundee.

While all of this is happening, Izzy has maintained his position 'tucked in' and is watching the ball with the intensity of a teenager watching a porn flick. Tonev is also tucked in magnificently, about 15 yards further up the park. Neither are aware of Raven lurking on the far side, a few yards from the ICT right hand touchline. He's got about 20 yards space from both Celtic players. When Izzy blooters the ball into the outer ranges of the solar system, Raven moves inside and is standing about 5 yards from Tonev, who is still busy pondering why no one appreciated his magnificent shot after his magnificent corner to notice anything other than how magnificent he is compared to everyone else. When Watkins has the ball Raven starts moving up and past Tonev, who displays the awareness of a dozen blindfold dogs in a barrel of jam – or one Jim Murphy. About 10 yards too late, Tonev magnificently realises that Raven is past him, and begins to magnificently run away from him and cover someone else inside. As Shinnie bursts into the box, he then magnificently lets that guy run off him too. The ball comes in. They score. Tonev stands with a magnificently pained expression on his face.

Lots of blame to go around for this one.

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Stats

Inverness Caledonian Thistle Celtic
Possession
46% 54%
120mins

Shots
13 17
On target
5 9
Corners
4 7
Fouls
19 20

Articles

Inverness 3 Celtic 2: Hoops are dumped out of Scottish Cup by extra time winner
Alison McConnell
Football Writer
Sunday 19 April 2015

http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/football/inverness-3-celtic-2-hoops-are-dumped-out-of-scottish-cup-by-extra-time-winner.1429452393

Celtic's dreams of a Treble came unstuck at Hampden this afternoon after Inverness pulled off a late extra-time winner to dump them out of the Scottish Cup.

It looked as though it was all going to plan for Celtic when they headed into the interval a goal in front but it quickly went wrong when Craig Gordon was red-carded for bringing down Marley Watkins shortly before the hour mark.

Inverness levelled from the spot and with 10 men and a substitute goalkeeper who looked ill at ease, Celtic never re-found their composure.

Inverness took the lead for the first time in the game through Edward Ofere, a goal that was cancelled out by Hoops sub John Guidetti. As the tie looked to be heading towards the lottery of penalties, David Raven netted the winner with just three minutes of extra-time remaining to send Inverness into the Scottish Cup final and end all of Celtic's Treble talk.

It was Nir Bitton who almost drew first blood when he had a shot cannon off the cross bar, but it was Virgil van Dijk who opened the scoring when his super free-kick curved over the Inverness wall and clipped the inside of the crossbar before bouncing across the goal-line.

James Forrest had been the architect of the move, inviting Gary Warren to halt his progress in the crudest way and the resultant set-piece was where Celtic exacted their revenge.

In the immediate aftermath of the goal, the Parkhead side looked certain to add to their lead.

Stefan Johansen spurned a glorious opportunity to double their lead, although at the other end Ofere ought to have done better when an inviting ball fell at his feet in the box but he sent his shot wide of the target.

On the cusp of the interval Celtic were denied a penalty when Leigh Griffiths' header was punched off the line by Josh Meekings. Referee Steven McLean missed the infringement, while neither the linesman nor the additional assistant flagged up the offence despite the visceral protests from the Celtic players.

There was further controversy after the interval when Gordon was shown a straight red-card for bringing down Watkins. The keeper slid in as the Inverness midfielder closed down on goal and the shrill whistle of McLean sounded immediately.

Deila sacrificed Forrest and sent on Lukasz Zaluska, but the keeper's first task when he got onto the pitch was to pick the ball out of the net after Greg Tansey kept his head to convert the spot-kick.

Celtic tried to regroup – Johansen came close with a long dipping effort that was touched over the bar – but they were spooked at the back and Inverness worked hard to turn the screw.

Zaluska looked ill at ease and anxious at the back, with his uncertainty unsettling those in front.

Watkins had two good chances to put Inverness on the front foot but scorned both.

As regulation time drew to a close Celtic lost Commons through injury as Aleksandar Tonev was introduced to the fray – his first appearance for the club this year.

The game headed into extra-time with Zaluska tested first as he batted away a decent effort Ryan Christie. Within minutes, though, he was picking the ball out of the net for the second time when Ofere drilled a low effort into the bottom left-hand corner.

Celtic responded with Guidetti taking over from the Griffiths and it was the Swedish sub who drew Celtic level. His free-kick bounced in front of Ryan Esson who hit the deck and the ball somehow ended up in the back of the net.

It was Inverness, though, who had the last laugh when Graeme Shinnie's drive across the face of the goal was converted by Raven to give the Highlanders a ticket into the Scottish Cup final.

Deila said: "I don't think I have to say too much about it [the handball that was not spotted by officials before half-time]. People can see for themselves.

"We had control and created big chances in the first half. We should have scored more. The game switched when we got a man sent off and we lost the ball too much as the players got tired.

"There is no problem with our red card. If it is a penalty, it is a red card.

"We give credit to Inverness and start concentrating on a big game in the league on Wednesday. The most important thing is the league.

"You get disappointment in football and you need to deal with failure. Today was a big day and we were close."

BBC
By Clive Lindsay BBC Scotland Sport

Inverness reach first-ever Scottish Cup final
Ten-man Celtic denied domestic treble chance
David Raven scores extra-time winner
Caley Thistle face Falkirk in 30 May final

Celtic's hopes of a domestic treble were extinguished as David Raven sent Inverness Caledonian Thistle into their first-ever Scottish Cup final.

The Hoops will feel a sense of injustice after Caley Thistle's Josh Meekings escaped a red card with Celtic leading 1-0 through Virgil van Dijk.

But it was Celtic who lost a man when keeper Craig Gordon was sent off.

Greg Tansey's penalty and Edward Ofere put Caley Thistle ahead, John Guidetti levelled, then Raven secured the win.

That close-range finish three minutes before the end of extra time denied the Scottish Premiership leaders the chance to lift the Scottish Cup for a 37th time and add to the Scottish League Cup they had already secured.

Instead, it was third time lucky for Caley Thistle in a Scottish Cup semi-final and it is John Hughes' side who progress to the 30 May final against Championship outfit Falkirk.

Hughes not surprisingly stuck with the same outfield personnel that held Celtic to a 1-1 league draw last weekend but appeared to wrong-foot his opponents by switching to a more ambitious formation with two up front.

With poise and slick passing, the Highland side quickly dispelled any thoughts of a rearguard strategy and had Celtic looking anything but Scottish champions elect in the opening minutes.

Celtic manager Ronny Deila was forced into some frantic arm-waving on the touchline and it had the desired effect as Celtic were shaken out of their early jitters.

A blistering Nir Biton drive crashed off the outside of the post and a strike from Leigh Griffiths, given a starting role ahead of Guidetti after his midweek hat-trick, was pushed away by goalkeeper Ryan Esson.

Now exploiting that additional space in midfield, the extra spring in Celtic's step had Caley Thistle repeatedly exposed on the counter attack.

When Gary Warren hauled down James Forrest a couple of yards outside the penalty box, Van Dijk's sublime curling free-kick over the defensive wall gave Esson no chance as it crashed into the back of the net off the inside of the near post.

Powerful drives from Stefan Johansen and Kris Commons had Esson, starting in place of the injured Dean Brill, making claims for the man of the match award amid waves of Celtic attacks before the half finished in controversy.

When the ball fell to Griffiths at the back post, Meekings' outstretched hand prevented the striker's header finding the net, but referee Steven McLean did not blow his whistle.

The Caley Thistle defender should have been sent off and, instead, it was Celtic who were left short of a man 13 minutes into the second half.

Marley Watkins beat Adam Matthews to a through ball and was pulled down by Gordon, with Tansey beating substitute goalkeeper Lukasz Zaluska from the resulting penalty.

Celtic were bolstered by a sense of injustice, but with left-back Graeme Shinnie and midfielder Ryan Christie in inspirational form, Caley Thistle were in the ascendency as the game entered extra time.

The otherwise anonymous Ofere drove low past Zaluska from Watkins' knock-down to give Caley Thistle the lead, but then Esson misjudged substitute Guidetti's free-kick and allowed it to bounce in front then behind his prone frame to give Celtic renewed hope.

However, having already missed an open goal to restore the lead, substitute Nick Ross made amends by setting up Shinnie to fire across goal for the waiting Raven to power a winner past Zaluska that will go down in history alongside that moment 15 years ago when the-then First Division outfit knocked Celtic out the same competition.

Live Text Commentary
Full time

Full Time Match ends, Inverness CT 3, Celtic 2.
120:00 +1:17

Second Half Extra Time ends, Inverness CT 3, Celtic 2.
120:00 +0:10

Foul by Graeme Shinnie (Inverness CT).
120:00 +0:10

John Guidetti (Celtic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
119:48

Attempt missed. Edward Ofere (Inverness CT) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the left.
119:15

Ryan Christie (Inverness CT) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
119:15

Foul by Virgil van Dijk (Celtic).
118:23

Ryan Christie (Inverness CT) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
118:23

Foul by Stefan Johansen (Celtic).
116:05 Goal scored

Goal! Goal! Inverness CT 3, Celtic 2. David Raven (Inverness CT) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Graeme Shinnie.
113:33

Attempt missed. John Guidetti (Celtic) left footed shot from the centre of the box is just a bit too high.
111:25

Attempt missed. Aleksandar Tonev (Celtic) right footed shot from a difficult angle and long range on the left is just a bit too high.
110:49

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Gary Warren.
109:56

Foul by Marley Watkins (Inverness CT).
109:56

Jason Denayer (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
109:07

Attempt missed. Nick Ross (Inverness CT) left footed shot from the centre of the box is just a bit too high.
107:13

Corner, Inverness CT. Conceded by Adam Matthews.
106:07

Ross Draper (Inverness CT) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
106:07

Foul by Aleksandar Tonev (Celtic).
105:00

Second Half Extra Time begins Inverness CT 2, Celtic 2.

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