As he opened the scoring against his beloved Rangers at Hampden Park, Motherwell veteran Andy Halliday could hardly believe his luck.
Darting towards the far post following a sublime Steve Seddon delivery, Halliday threw his body at the ball perhaps more in hope than expectation.
And as the experienced midfielder got a toe on Seddon’s cross, diverting it past Jack Butland and into the side netting, a man who spent five years at his boyhood club until 2020 had a mind-melting mix-up from Rangers left-back Jefte to thank as Motherwell took the lead in the League Cup semi-final.
Rather than attempt to shoulder barge Halliday out the way or nip in to knock the ball clear, Jefte appeared more interested in starting a counter attack down the other end as Seddon took aim from the opposite flank.
He was already making a mad dash away from the Rangers goalmouth when Halliday snook round the back, the Brazilian left in disbelief as the Glasgow-born ace snaffled his first goal against the Scottish giants at the ninth attempt.
Halliday opted not to celebrate as Motherwell threatened a shock against Rangers.
But, make no mistake, he will be roaring as loudly as anyone in blue if Philippe Clement masterminds a victory over Old Firm rivals Celtic in the final.
“Steve Seddon, the left-wing, is an unbelievable crosser of the ball,” Halliday explains. “And I said to him; ‘Any opportunity you get – because I knew I was playing right of the three – put the ball in the box’.
“I felt, Jefte defending the back post [I could get a chance].
“I think Jefte has done really well for Rangers. But, defensively, he’s got a bit to go. So I just gambled. When it was in the air, I didn’t think I would get it so I just tried to get any kind of contact on it.
“It’s mad when you watch it back, though! Where was [Jefte] going? Even if you think [I am not going to reach the ball], you wouldn’t just run away would you?”
Now, Rangers signed Jefte not so much for his defensive acumen but his qualities at the other end of the park.
After all, Jefte is a player who models himself on Real Madrid legend Marcelo. And that alone should tell you how the former Fluminense youngster sees his role as a full-back; less bone-rattling tackles and more mazy dribbles and wicked crosses.
But still, as became apparent during Borna Barisic’s difficult final two seasons at Ibrox, the goal-threat your left-back offers at one end can be quickly undermined if he continues to switch off at the other.
Motherwell ace highlighted Mohamed Diomande impact in Rangers fightback
While questions have been asked about the depth of this Rangers squad of late, it was Clement’s substitutes who came to the fore on Sunday afternoon.
Mohamed Diomande proved to be an inspired introduction off the bench. As did Danilo – the £5 million striker making his return from yet another injury absence – and the versatile, ever-aggressive Dujon Sterling.
“I thought we were very comfortable in the first-half. We restricted Rangers to very little and we managed to play through the thirds quite well as well,” Halliday adds, speaking on Clyde One Super Scoreboard.
“I thought Diomande for me made a big difference, especially playing up against him in the middle of the pitch.
“At times, I think Tom Lawrence wants the ball to feet all the time and stay in that pocket. But Diomande drags you places you don’t want to go. He made a lot of sacrificial runs in behind and pulled out wide, made it a lot more difficult to get close to him.
“The likes of Danilo and Sterling also added energy to the game as well.”
