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The Rangers were victorious in the first cup match of the season, beating Aberdeen 1-0 in the Viaplay Cup final at Hampden on Sunday.
Philippe Clement’s team had a successful weekend in the cinch Premiership title competition, while their city rivals Celtic suffered two consecutive defeats in the league for the first time in ten years.
Hearts advanced to third place following their initial triumph over Celtic Park since 2007, while Dundee and St Johnstone narrowly secured wins.
Below are five takeaways from this weekend’s events, as reported by the PA news agency.
with a crucial goal
James Tavernier showcases his worth to Rangers by scoring a crucial goal.
The Rangers were at risk of going into overtime against Aberdeen, but their high-scoring captain James Tavernier came through with a beautiful goal in the 76th minute to secure the win. This was his 115th goal since joining the team over eight years ago and his 15th goal in just 30 games this season, demonstrating his impressive scoring record.
After their cup runs come to an end, Aberdeen shifts their focus back to the league.
Aberdeen faced a major letdown when they were unable to produce a single shot on goal in the final match on Sunday. Despite this setback, they can shift their attention to improving their position in the Premiership now that their European and League Cup endeavors have ended. Currently ranked 10th, they must motivate themselves for their upcoming home game against struggling Livinsgton on Wednesday.
Tensions increase at Celtic Park as divisions among the team continue to grow.
In recent weeks, there has been a consistent reminder of conflicts between the board and some Celtic fans. The absence of the banned Green Brigade has resulted in a lackluster atmosphere. The loudest noise at the game on Saturday was the chants of “sack the board” and directed personal attacks towards chairman Peter Lawwell. Tensions almost boiled over in the main stand. Hearts deserved their 2-0 victory and it was clear that Celtic’s summer transfer business was lacking as only one out of eight new players played the full 90 minutes. With Rangers now trailing by five points with two games in hand, Celtic must make wise choices in their January activity.
Scottish football is ‘shocking’
Ross County manager Derek Adams gave a direct evaluation of the situation, expressing his disappointment after Dundee’s Joe Shaughnessy scored the winning goal in the last seconds of the game. Adams recently returned to Dingwall after spending eight years in England with Plymouth, Bradford, and Morecambe, but he hasn’t been impressed with the level of play in Scotland. His statement came just days after Scottish clubs defeated Feyenoord, Eintracht Frankfurt, and Real Betis in European competitions. Adams strongly criticized the standard of play since his return, stating that it is abysmal. He compared it to his time in England where he was at a much better club with a smaller budget. He questioned the level of entertainment and expressed his concern about the country’s overall performance. It remains to be seen if his remarks will motivate his own players or the teams they face.
Liam Kelly finds redemption.
Liam Kelly, the captain of Motherwell, faced criticism for taking accountability for the goals conceded against County and St Johnstone in a span of four days. However, he proved his worth to manager Stuart Kettlewell by saving a penalty in a scoreless match against St Mirren, continuing to earn the coach’s trust. This marked Kelly’s second successful penalty save in the past five games.
Source: independent.co.uk
