Brendan Rodgers will do all he can to keep Adam Idah at Celtic after the on-loan striker’s 90th-minute winner saw them beat Rangers to retain the Scottish Cup.
The on-loan Norwich striker came off the bench to capitalise on Jack Butland’s late mistake to snatch a 1-0 victory at Hampden Park.
After a goalless first half, Abdallah Sima thought he’d given the Ibrox side the lead only for VAR to rule it out for a foul on Celtic ‘keeper Joe Hart.
Rangers had the best of the late possession but, with extra-time looming, Idah turned in the rebound after Butland parried Paulo Bernardo’s effort to send the green and white end wild as Celtic finished the season with a league and cup double.
Rodgers is determined to keep the striker who scored 10 goals since joining in January.
“He’s been the real catalyst for us. I knew what I was getting, he’s fast and dynamic and has strength,” Rodgers said.
“What he’s shown since coming in is he is a goalscorer. Great headers, great movement in the box and today was like a No 9 sniffing around the box.
“He’s been absolutely immense for us and he’s clearly someone I would like to do something with.”
How Celtic continued their dominance over Rangers
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Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers heaps praise on his players after their ‘tense’ Scottish Cup Final win against Rangers to end the season with a cup double.
Rangers’ first summer signing Jefte was in the stand at Hampden Park hoping to watch his new team-mates beat Celtic for the first time this season but, instead, Rodgers’ winning run at the national stadium continued.
It was a frantic start and only a last-ditch clearance from Leon Balogun stopped Kyogo Furuhashi turning Daizen Maeda’s low cross into the net early on.
Mohamed Diomande swung in a corner for Rangers soon after only for Hart to come out to punch the ball clear.
The game was end-to-end as Hart then denied Fabio Silva from close range before Reo Hatate sent a half-volley towards goal only for Ben Davies to block.
Celtic were screaming for a penalty after the ball crashed off Davies’ arm from Kyogo’s shot, but his arm was by his side and it was play on for referee Nick Walsh.
Back to Rangers and Cyriel Dessers was denied the opener by Cameron Carter-Vickers as the pace showed no sign of slowing.
Kyogo’s shot came off Ben Davies
Butland was called into action to turn Celtic captain Callum McGregor’s deflected shot past.
Rangers then wanted a penalty before the break when Liam Scales pushed Dujon Sterling to the ground, but it was just outside the box.
It was then Hart to the rescue as he punched James Tavernier’s corner over to ensure it remained goalless at half-time.
Philippe Clement looked to his bench with Sima replacing Dessers for the second half only to pick up a quick booking for kicking out at Alistair Johnston as he lay the on the pitch.
Yilmaz’s effort from outside the box was saved by Hart before James Forrest weaved into the Rangers box and had a shot blocked.
Abdallah Sima bundles the ball into the net only for his effort to be ruled out by VAR
The Rangers end erupted on the hour as Sima fired in from close range only for his opener to be ruled out by VAR for Raskin’s push on Hart.
Relief for Celtic as their fans then burst into life.
With the game on a knife-edge, Sterling, Forrest and Greg Taylor picked up bookings as frustrations started to show.
Rangers looked the more likely to score as Diomande’s corner flew across goal, Carter-Vickers cleared Raskin’s effort and Hart saved Sima’s header.
The Irishman’s goal secured a league-and-cup double for his side
With full-time approaching, Celtic did manage to get forward with Butland coming out to deny Maeda before the Hoops showed their never-say-die attitude.
Idah, on for Kyogo, pounced when Butland cleared Bernardo’s shot and wrapped up a double for the Hoops.
Eight minutes were added but there was no way back for Rangers, who failed to beat their rivals in five attempts this season.
Clement: Rangers’ disallowed goal a grey area
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Rangers manager Philippe Clement believes his side were the better team as Abdallah Sima’s goal was disallowed in their Scottish Cup final defeat to Celtic.
Rangers boss Philippe Clement said:
“If I compare with the push that (Liam) Scales gives to (Dujon) Sterling in the first half, it’s a much bigger push than what happened with Joe Hart.
“If I see also how all the Celtic players are grabbing my players with their arms around their neck and waist, it’s a really big call to make to disallow that goal.
“It’s [the officials’] decision and they’re honest in their decisions. It’s a grey area that one, it’s not black or white.
“The general thought is that you’re disappointed that you lost because even people of Celtic were saying we were the better team today.
“It’s mixed feelings, you’re disappointed because you did everything to win but I’m also proud of what the team has shown.
“We got two shots on target [against], we got a goal and created six shots on target. We need to score in that moment. And then if you have the scenario where you score a goal and they are disallowed that’s also a disappointment.”
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