Makhanya gears up for first Old Firm clash | OneFootball

Olwethu Makhanya is relishing his first Glasgow derby as Rangers host Celtic in Sunday's Premier Sports Cup quarter-final at Ibrox. With no away fans permitted after an SPFL ruling, he hopes a partisan home crowd can push them towards the last four.

According to Goal.com, Hearts, Hibernian and 10-man Aberdeen have already booked their semi-final places at Hampden.

The 22-year-old South African arrived from MLS and quickly established himself in Derek McInnes' starting line-up. He says he is fully confident of performing on the big stage and highlights a growing central partnership with Emmanuel Fernandez that has underpinned four straight wins with only one conceded.

He credits clear communication with Fernandez, James Penrice and Dujon Sterling for smoothing his adaptation to Scottish football.

He pointed to Wednesday's dramatic 1-0 win over St Mirren as evidence of increasing resilience, saying the team created chances and kept going until a late goal. He believes off-field bonding has built the unity for high-pressure moments and urges every player, including substitutes, to stay aligned against Celtic.

Victory on Sunday would put Rangers into late-October semi-finals at Hampden, with the draw to be made immediately after the final whistle at Ibrox. Makhanya says he will ignore external hype and focus on his defensive duties as the Light Blues look to carry their momentum for their supporters.

Source: Goal.com

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