celtic sink glasgow city to reach semi-final

Newsroom Staff
CELTIC secured their place in the semi-final of the League Cup with a dramatic 2-1 extra-time victory over holders Glasgow City. And it was a stunning 35-yard strike from Suzanne Grant which sealed the win in front of a packed crowd at Glasgow Green.

It was City who took the lead in the match, Lisa Evans giving them the lead after 21 minutes, heading home from a corner, and in a fiercely contested cup-tie, it wasn’t until the 82nd minute before Celtic equalised.

Midfielder Jo Love pounced on a defensive mistake and slotted home from 12 yards to give the Hoops the equaliser their efforts had so richly deserved.

With no further scoring in the regulation 90 minutes, the match went into extra-time and Celtic’s top scorer from last season, Suzanne Grant, produced a goal worthy of winning any match.

The ball fell to the striker 35 yards from goal and her stunning strike rocketed into the top corner of the City net to put Celtic 2-1 ahead.

The cup holders pushed forward in search of an equaliser, but found the Hoops defence and goalkeeper, Gemma Fay in outstanding form.

And Celtic could even have added to their lead before the end of the game with chances for Christie Murray and Karen McInally.

The final whistle sparked scenes of jubilation at Glasgow Green as the players and supporters celebrated a magnificent and well-deserved victory.

Aberdeen now await in the semi-final of the League Cup as the team continue their quest for a first piece of silverware for the club.

Speaking after the game, a delighted Celtic manager, Robert Docherty, praised the efforts of his players throughout the 120 minutes of the cup-tie.

“Everyone connected with the club is absolutely delighted with the result and to be in the semi-final of the League Cup against Aberdeen,” he said.

“I thought our players worked extremely hard and were magnificent and thoroughly deserved their victory against a very determined and well-organised Glasgow City side.

“We showed another side to our game – we showed great battling qualities and in my opinion we won our individual battles. We also showed great character to come back from being a goal down.

“Both goals were superbly finished with Jo Love keeping us in the game with a great finish, pouncing on a defensive mistake to force the game into extra-time, and then for Suzanne Grant to fire home an unbelievable strike, and I mean an unbelievable strike from over 35 yards was fantastic and ultimately booked our place in the semi-final.

“We did have a couple of anxious moments near the end as City pushed players forward, but we defended brilliantly and Gemma Fay was superb.

“This was all about the players and they should be proud of themselves in the way performed and we told them that after the game.

“We also told them we have achieved nothing yet but the pleasing thing is we appear to be moving in the right direction.

“I would also like to thank our coaches, Youth Academy players, parents and our supporters for turning up and cheering us on.”

The Celtic Women’s team are back in league action this Sunday, March 21 when they take on Boroughmuir Thistle.

League Cup quarter-final
Glasgow Green
Thursday, March 18, 2010

Glasgow City 1
(Evans 21)

Celtic 2
(Love 82, Grant 102)

CELTIC: Fay, Ferguson (McInally 65), T Burns, McDonald, Penglase, Cook, M Burns, Bisland, Love, Murray, Grant
Subs: Scott, Seagrave, Harkins, Walker, Hardie