Celtic vs Dunfermline – Preview, Lineups, Key Men And Score Prediction | OneFootball

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Celtic and Dunfermline Athletic are set to meet at Hampden Park this afternoon for a shot at lifting the 141st Scottish Cup.

56. 14 in 15 years. 1928. In a year of underwhelming football, the next best thing that might satisfy a football fan is numbers and records. Bhoys fans have been lucky in that sense, as they can satiate themselves with historic records knocked off as Celtic continue to show they are far and away Scottish football’s dominant force.

It is thus an excellent time to be a Celtic fan and the fans will be in a celebratory mood after their side won a title, they had no business in doing amid a season of managerial upheaval. A shot at the Scottish Cup against lower division opposition will be icing on the cake, with the pressure now off.

Martin O’Neill, despite some believing he is in contention for the job next season, will want to make it four Scottish Cups to go with the four league titles he has now.

Dunfermline have spent their recent past bouncing between the Championship and League One and younger fans of the game might be tempted to view them as a historical sidenote.

So much of the history of Scottish football could not be written without the Pars though, with Dunfermline giving the legendary Jock Stein and Alex Ferguson their beginnings. Dunfermline, in the 1960s, just as European club competitions had found their footing as a marketable event, had many an adventure on the continent beating the likes of Valencia, Everton, Olympiacos, Stuttgart and West Brom and taking Atletico Bilbao to a third match. The Pars also reached the semi-final of the European Cup Winners Cup, and in many ways were predecessors to Celtic and other British clubs in Europe.

In another positive for Scottish football, Dunfermline’s clash with Falkirk set a new attendance record for a Scottish Cup semi-final in the modern era, with the clash just the 12th semi since the mid-1970s not to involve the country’s big five, by becoming the first tie not involving Aberdeen, Celtic, Hearts, Hibernian and Rangers to draw an attendance of over 20,000.

Dunfermline Athletic will be hoping that it is third time lucky to pick up their third major honour, having lost to Celtic in both the 2004 and 2007 editions. Pars manager Neil Lennon will remember those matches well, having featured for Celtic in both, with the 2007 tie being his final appearance for the Bhoys.

The 2004 final saw Dunfermline’s hopes after taking the lead dashed by Henrik Larsson in his final appearance, with the Pars competing in a final for the first time in 36 years, as a joyous O’Neill could be seen bounding up and down on the touchlines. Dunfermline have met Celtic in all but one of their previous five final appearances, losing every single time other than in 1961 under Stein. Lennon will hope to finish on the winning side once again, helping the Pars restore a modicum of parity.

Dunfermline’s recent form has only seen them pick up one win, but not too much can be read into it, with the Pars having played only Partick Thistle and Arbroath over their past five fixtures, but they have seen off Hibernian, defending champions Aberdeen and Falkirk in their run to the final.

The 2007 final has another parallel in that the Pars head into the final on a disappointing note. They were consigned to relegation in 2007, just as they must deal with being knocked out of the Scottish Premiership playoffs with the defeat to Partick Thistle.

Aston Oxborough will be available in goal again, after being temporarily recalled by his parent club, Motherwell, for a Scottish Premiership fixture last week.

A win will qualify the side for the Europa League next campaign, but no Pars fan will be stretching their dreams that far just yet, as a return to the heady 60s might have to wait a while longer.

Predicted Lineups

Recent Form (league)

Celtic: WWWWW Dunfermline Athletic: LDDWD

Key Men

Celtic

Kieran Tierney’s cutback led to the penalty through which Celtic equalised against Hearts. Tierney has the most assists for the Bhoys with eight, and he might be required to create once more.

Daizen Maeda has 14 goals this season, with seven of them coming since the split. Maeda will want to maintain his form heading into the World Cup.

Kelechi Iheanacho’s future remains unclear and he will want to sign off like Larsson did all those years ago, with goals and another medal.

Dunfermline Athletic

Andrew Tod is the leading goalscorer for the Pars with 16 goals. Lennon will look towards Tod once more for goals from midfield. His brother John, who was named to SPFL team of the week last week, might also have a job to do if all goes to plan for the Pars.

Chris Kane in Zak Rudden’s absence has carried the attack since February. Kane is the top scorer for the Pars in the Scottish Cup and he will want to add to the four he has scored.

Aston Oxborough missed the Premiership play-off second leg tie against Partick Thistle only to sit on the bench for Motherwell, as the Pars lost narrowly. Oxborough will want to make a telling contribution for Dunfermline, with the goalkeeper likely to be called upon regularly.

Match Prediction

Celtic have made winning a habit, and they also seem to have the luck of the devil, as if they needed any extra fortune. All the omens portend to another Celtic win, with the Bhoys somehow looking like they will win another double in a season dominated by negative headlines.

Dunfermline will have to be at their best to stand even a chance, and Lennon might motivate them by showing the match and the aftermath of Aberdeen’s much celebrated win from last season.

O’Neill, in what might be the final match of his managerial career, will want to sign off on a high, like Larsson, Lennon and so many others before them did. O’Neill and Celtic have found a way to become dangerous towards the end, with 11 goals and six match-winning strikes coming after the 90th minute, and the boss has insisted they are fully up for the game.

It is difficult to foresee an upset, but Dunfermline might just do so if they have Celtic’s luck on the day.

Inside Futbol Score Prediction

Celtic 4-1 Dunfermline Athletic

Where To Watch?

Celtic v Dunfermline Athletic will be shown live in the UK on BBC One Scotland, Premier Sports 2, BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport Website with a kick-off at 15:00 UK time.