Zombie Halloween hack downgrades Celtic’s Cup triumph to a draw

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The Celtic Star

·2 de noviembre de 2025

Zombie Halloween hack downgrades Celtic’s Cup triumph to a draw

I could have sworn we were all jumping about in euphoric celebration last December as we wasted their Christmas when Daizen Maeda scored the decisive penalty in the Premier Sports Cup final against theRangers…

Daizen Maeda scores to win the Premier Sports Cup Final for Celtic at Hampden on 15 December 2024. Photo AJ for The Celtic Star

My mind must be playing tricks on me because apparently it was a draw and therefore according to some Zombie hack, we’ve not beaten theRangers 14 months. This bizarre question was put to both Celtic’s interim manager Martin O’Neill and club captain Callum McGregor in their media conferences on Friday afternoon. And the Zombie hack brought it up in the mainstream media’s sit-down with James Forrest, with the text from this being – by agreement amongst the hacks – held back until the morning of the match.

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As Lubo98 pointed out in his match preview, the same hack would not have been saying that after the latest Ibrox club earned a ‘draw’ in the 2016 Scottish Cup semi-final which was also decided on a penalty shoot-out. That day theRangers won and went onto lose the final to Hibs.

Celtic has yet to beat theRangers in 2025, having played them three times at Ibrox and just once at Celtic Park. There was no meeting in the Scottish Cup as they were beaten by Queen’s Park in the early rounds.

In 2026 Celtic Park will host three Scottish Premiership matches against theRangers and will go to Ibrox just the once and as Callum McGregor pointed out, our overall record against theRangers is actually very good indeed.

James Forrest in action during the Premier Sports Cup Final victory over theRangers at Hampden on 15 December 2024. Photo AJ for The Celtic Star

Here’s James Forrest’s answer to the Celtic only drew with theRangers in the Premier Sports Cup final last year and haven’t beaten them in 14 months, question (as reported by The Herald)…

“You don’t want to hear stats like that,” Jamesy said, although he should have added, “especially when they’re not true.”

“You want to get positive results against your rival, but these things happen. “We played them in the League Cup Final last year, and we got a positive result, so we can focus on that. It has been a long time, and this one is at Hampden with the chance to get into a final so there is no better time to do it. Getting to the final would be really good for us.”

James Forrest in action during the Premier Sports Cup Final victory over theRangers at Hampden on 15 December 2024. Photo AJ for The Celtic Star

Jamesy also pointed out that Celtic are currently off the pace at the top of the league and need to start winning regularly if the team are going to meet their objectives for the season.

“The first time we saw the manager was the day of the Falkirk game but as a footballer you need to deal with obstacles. Cal was talking about it the other day, we are not top of the league just now, so to start winning games every week and playing really well would show a different type of character.

“The intensity and pace the other night was good, and we can hopefully we can bring more of it against (the)Rangers.”

READ THIS…Celtic v the Rangers – Team News, Match Officials & Where to Watch

Celtic celebrations after winning the Premier Sports Cup Final between Celtic and theRangers at Hampden on Sunday 15 December 2024. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

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Celtic in the Eighties and Willie Fernie – Putting on the Style both by David Potter. Photo The Celtic Star

Danny McGrain signing copies of Celtic in the Eighties by David Potter. Photo: Celtic Star Books