Celtic Secures 3-1 Victory Over Rangers In Old Firm Derby Under Martin O'Neill's Leadership

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Martin O'Neill humorously remarked, "I was 73 on Monday, I'm 94 now," after leading Celtic to a victory against Rangers in the Old Firm derby. The match ended 3-1 in favour of Celtic after extra time at Hampden Park, securing their spot in the Scottish League Cup final next month. O'Neill returned as interim coach following Brendan Rodgers' resignation.

Celtic's Johnny Kenny scored first, but Rangers equalised with a James Tavernier penalty. Thelo Aasgaard's first-half red card left Rangers with 10 men. In extra time, Callum McGregor and Callum Osmand scored for Celtic, setting up a final against St. Mirren on December 14. O'Neill expressed his delight, saying, "I'm delighted to have won the game, for a start."

O'Neill praised his team and staff: "We have a couple of young players who probably don't really know what it's all about, and we've got some serial winners in there, and that's really important. The backroom staff were terrific." Despite Rangers having fewer players, they had moments of control during the match.

Celtic dominated with 22 shots compared to Rangers' 12. This win marked O'Neill's 17th victory in 28 Glasgow derbies. On whether he will lead the team in the final, he commented: "Maybe ask me that tomorrow. Today, no! There's a fortnight break at the end of next week when I think the club would be making inroads into getting someone in."

Callum McGregor expressed pride: "It's been a difficult week, a big change. The players stuck together." He acknowledged the challenge of playing against 10 men but felt they settled after scoring again. McGregor added that while they can enjoy this win, there's still work ahead as they prepare for another final.

Reactions from Players and Coaches

Callum Osmand shared his excitement about reaching his first final with Celtic: "It feels amazing... There's nothing that can really top this unless scoring against them in the final." He hopes this is just the beginning of his journey with the club.

Despite losing, Rangers manager Danny Rohl remained positive about his team's performance. He told BBC Radio Scotland: "We showed a lot of spirit and resilience... We were brave in the second half." Rohl noted their deserved equaliser and highlighted areas for improvement while recognising positives to build on.