Get in! Sunday-skelping as brave Alonso changes lead to a huge Scottish Cup Derby success over theRangers…
Final Score: Celtic FC Women 2 theRangers 1
Celtic went into Scottish Cup action with a Glasgow Derby against theRangers at Penny Cars stadium this afternoon, looking to banish the painful memories of an SWPL1 defeat at the hands of Glasgow City on Thursday night and attempting to progress in the Scottish Cup to add to the Hoops’ League Cup final success in December, a tournament in which theRangers were defeated en-route at the Quarter final stage.
This would turn into a hard-fought Cup tie, but one Celtic turned into a Beautiful Skelping Sunday, as the Celts produced a performance full of defensive desire and a first-class counter attacking attitude throughout, to take the lead and recover from being pegged back by grabbing a winning goal from Chloe Craig late in the second half.
Celtic were dealt a pre-match blow with the news top scorer Charlie Wellings was missing through injury, as was goalkeeper Chloe Logan who suffered a knee injury in the league clash with City. Coming into the side came Tyler Toland and Tegan Bowie, with Rachael Johnstone taking over in goal and captain Kelly Clark dropping to the bench – whilst the seemingly indestructible Chloe Craig took the armband having somehow recovered from being on the end of a horrific and unpunished challenge on Thursday night.
The early exchanges were fairly even with Celtic’s high pressing causing problems to theRangers backline with that being replicated at the other end with theRangers pressure on Celtic’s defence causing early uncertainty as both sides opened a little nervously.
The first clear opportunity took 16 minutes to arise, and a chance for theRangers Hay was shot wide of the post after confusion and slackness at the back saw Celtic struggle to clear their lines under minimal pressure.
However, any time possession was coughed up by Celtic they scrapped well to regain the ball, with Caitlin Hayes now emerging as the organising force at the back and a player willing to advance and attempt to break theRangers tough press, meanwhile in midfield Celtic were gaining traction and theRangers were struggling to match the physical approach of Celtic in midfield, as the game began to open up.
Celtic then deservedly took the lead in the 27th minute, as the impressive Sarah Harkes lofted a ball towards theRangers’ area and sheer determination from Clarissa Larisey was rewarded, as she took advantage of a dreadful lack of communication between ‘keeper Fyfe and defender Westrup to determinedly turn the ball home and put Celtic in front.
Moments later Chloe Craig stopped a certain equaliser, clearing off the line as Brogan Hay struck goalward following Rachael Johnstone’s decision to leave her area in attempt to clear the ball backfired and left the Celtic goal gaping. It was a superb clearance from Craig as it really did look like a goal all the way.
theRangers now began a concerted period of pressure that led to Celtic conceding territory and cheap free kicks, and just as Celtic seemed to be riding out their luck, they were punished with an equalising goal just before the break.
Sam Kerr created space out wide and turned back, fed Brogan Hay, who delivered a cross that seemed to connect with a Celtic head but without enough distance to clear the danger, and theRangers Demi Vance headed the ball beyond Rachel Johnstone and into the net, as the first half ended with the sides unable to be separated and a draw at this stage a fair reflection of the flow of the game.
Celtic had grown defensively in this game and were unlucky to concede, meanwhile in midfield there was little quarter given by either side with possession perhaps edged by theRangers, however they looked vulnerable defensively to longer ball deliveries through the middle and diagonal balls out wide. Of the players who started the first half Jacynta was being somewhat underused and looked a threat to theRangers whenever she did get on the ball.
Celtic started the second half with some positive substitutions as Jodie Bartle and Tyler Toland made way for Mengyu Shen who moved into midfield and new signing Annie Timoney who replaced Bartle in the right-wing back role. The changes were to prove inspired.
Alonso’s attacking changes almost made an immediate impact as Timoney linked with Shen who delivered a wonderful front post cross that Larisey was desperately unlucky not to turn home, before just failing to control another opportunity on the edge of the box, where a clear sight of goal would have been offered with a better first touch.
Celtic had certainly emerged for the second half in determined fashion and theRangers were now exhibiting a slackness in possession as the pressure grew, and even when they decided to go more direct Celtic remained assured at the back even under sustained attacks, however when Celtic tried the same the ball refused to stick with Clarissa Larisey resulting in fresh waves of theRangers pressure as the half progressed.
Celtic did manage a close effort after 65 minutes as Jacynta managed to fashion space on the half turn and feed Larisey, who found in space Shen who then guided a curled effort from 18 yards just wide of Fyfe’s right-hand post.
And Celtic had a penalty shout that resulted in Fran Alonso receiving a talking to from the referee, however there was nothing in the claim as Larisey went to ground following a superb through ball from Tegan Bowie, however Larisey appeared to suffer a muscle pull in the challenge and Izzy Atkinson replaced Larisey after 74 minutes.
And within a minute Celtic were in front once again, as a diagonal long ball from Liv Chance saw a Celtic pile on at the back post, from which Chloe Craig connected and forced the ball past an exposed Fyfe on theRangers goal line, who claimed in vain for a free kick, however the referee rightly awarded the goal. It was a deserved lead now for Celtic on the back of a strong defensive performance and real determination on the counter attack.
Celtic were now in full flow, however Fran Alonso looked to temper that and fortify the backline, as captain Kelly Clark came on for Tegan Bowie, with a view to seeing out the final seven minutes of this cup tie that had swung one way then the other. It was to prove another well-timed substitution from Fran Alonso.
As theRangers threw all their attacking options on with two attackers introduced as they chased a leveller, the introduction of the captain worked, as theRangers grew frustrated, resulting in a late yellow card for theRangers Zoe Ness as the attacker came through the back of Mengyu Shen with a challenge that could easily have resulted in a red, and Celtic held on well to inflict only the second defeat of the season for theRangers, with both coming in cup competitions at the hands of Celtic as Celtic progress in the Scottish Cup and will now look to add a second trophy to the League Cup won in December.
🎥 Fran Alonso reacting to the #Ghirls' Scottish Women's Cup 𝙒𝙄𝙉 over Rangers!
🍀 2⃣-1⃣ 🔵#GlasgowDerby | #COYGIG 🍀 | @CelticFC pic.twitter.com/sNL2JADpCJ
— Celtic FC Women (@CelticFCWomen) February 13, 2022
This was a performance built on a commanding defensive performance from Celtic and player of the match Caitlin Hayes in particular, however it was the bravery of the substitutions at half time by Fran Alonso that turned this game.
Annie Timoney looked sharp after replacing Jodie Bartle, however it was Chinese superstar Shen, who turned in an incredible second half performance that allowed Celtic to get a midfield foothold in a game where they had at time struggled in the opening 45 minutes.
For Celtic who were knocked down on Thursday night, this was an incredible turnaround from a side who always seem to respond to adversity, and their rewards for bouncing back today was a Sunday ‘skelping of theRangers and a real chance of now adding the Scottish Cup to League Cup won in December, and it was the bravery on the field of play and from Fran Alonso’s tactical changes that ultimately saw Celtic prevail today.
Niall J
