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Celtic sweep past Aberdeen in commanding fashion to secure League Cup final spot
Celtic roared into the Premier Sports Cup Final after a dominant and imposing win over Aberdeen.
First-half goals from Cameron Carter-Vickers, Kyogo Furuhashi, and Daizen Maeda had Brendan Rodgers' side cruising at the interval. Jimmy Thelin made changes at the break but his side failed to find an effective route back into the game.
After the interval, Maeda was in the right place at the right time to tap in at the back post with a close-range strike. Their fifth of the evening came from a lovely Nicolas Kuhn strike, curled in off the underside of the bar before Maeda bagged a hat-trick with a goal similar to his second.
Both sides were unbeaten domestically coming into this game, and after their 2-2 draw recently it was keenly poised, but Rodgers' flawless Hampden record still stands after his side's display.
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Kick-off was delayed for a quarter of an hour due to smoke from pyro displays in the stands causing visibility issues on the field but when it finally got going, the Hoops were on top from the off. Dons defender Gavin Molloy put in a crucial interception in his own final third, and there was a brief VAR call for a penalty against his side too.
Jamie McGrath had a go from ranger but his free kick sailed miles over the goal before Celtic took the lead through a set piece of their own. An Arne Engels corner was whipped in and Carter-Vickers rose to meet it, thumping his head into the back of the net.
Just three minutes later Celtic doubled their advantage. Maeda raced from his own half and into the Aberdeen box but couldn't get his shot off, before laying off Kyogo who lifted his strike high and in off the bottom of the bar.
It was Maeda who then added his side's third in the space of 11 minutes. Winger Kuhn played an integral part, sliding his attacking colleague in with a well-weighted through ball, before he swept it into the net to all but decide the game before the half-time whistle had been sounded.
Mere minutes into the second 45, Maeda tapped in from close range at the back post to put the result beyond all doubt for his side, with Kuhn's fine, curling effort further asserting his side's dominance on the night.
Maeda, who was impressive throughout, grabbed his third to secure a hat-trick late on, tapping in from just a few yards off the line again in a similar style to his second of the night.
Celtic will face the winners of tomorrow's semi-final between Motherwell and Rangers.
