Neil Lennon described it as the game’s ‘pivotal’ moment as Rangers and Celtic played out a cup final for the ages at Hampden Park.
With Philippe Clement’s team 1-0 up thanks to Nedim Bajrami’s strike late in the first-half, Rangers looked certain to double their advantage mere moments after the interval.
After forcing a below-par Celtic into another error, Rangers found themselves four v one and bearing down on Kasper Schmeichel’s goal; Hamza Igamane, Vaclav Cerny, Mohamed Diomande all waiting for Bajrami’s pull-back.
That was, of course, until Cameron Carter-Vickers slid in and turned the Albanian’s pass away for a corner.
A turning point, certainly. Former Celtic boss Neil Lennon accepts that Rangers ‘deserved’ to find themselves 2-0 up. Instead, as Greg Taylor and Daizen Maeda struck, Rangers were 2-1 down in the blinking of an eye.
Would a two-goal advantage have been enough for Rangers to defend their Scottish League Cup crown? Was Carter-Vickers’ intervention the most integral moment in a match full of flashpoints?
Possibly, and probably.
Cameron Carter-Vickers hails Rangers after Celtic triumph
Speaking to BBC Scotland at full-time, Celtic eventually triumphing on penalties, Carter-Vickers accepts that Brendan Rodgers’ side found life extremely tough against a Rangers who, like against Tottenham Hotspur only three days earlier, closed the gaps, got in their faces, and played with the sort of aggression, intensity and belief seldom-seen in the season’s opening weeks.
“It was a tough game,” Carter-Vickers admits. “Fair play to Rangers. They had a really good game plan which made it tough for us to get our flow going.
“To win a final on penalties… If you know you’re going to win it, you’d always pick to win it that way.
“Physically and mentally, it was tough. But it shows the togetherness of this group.”
The outstanding Nico Raskin epitomised Rangers’ approach at Hampden Park like no other. Alongside the similarly impressive Mo Diomande, the Belgian continued his outstanding recent form – Philippe Clement lauded Raskin’s ‘evolution’ after Spurs – as he snapped into tackles throughout, albeit he must take some blame for his involvement in Maeda’s strike.
Bajrami impressed off the ball, too. Rangers knew stopping Celtic’s Callum McGregor from dictating proceedings was a must. And, for the most part, they did just that.
Neil Lennon feels Philippe Clement’s gameplan was spot on
“Celtic [found it] really difficult to play through the lines,” Lennon said during his co-commentary duties for Premier Sports.
“Celtic haven’t been at their fluid best, but maybe that’s down the way Rangers have played. They have been nice and compact in their midfield shape but they’ve been aggressive as well. You’ve got to give Rangers credit for the way they are set up.”
Following 90 gruelling minutes up against former Hoops boss Ange Postecoglou on Thursday night, Rangers understandably tired as Celtic began to seize control in the second-half at Hampden.
Yet, Clement will have been delighted by the resolve of his team. Rangers have collapsed against their Old Firm rivals in the recent past but not here.
Diomande put The Gers level again at 2-2 while Danilo, off the bench to power home a header, ensured that Nicolas Kuhn’s 87th minute finish was not the winner it looked destined to be.
