Jordan Campbell has called it “insane” that Rangers and Celtic are finally set to meet in their first Scottish Cup final together since 2002 this season.
The Athletic journalist posted on X at his surprise that the two Glasgow rivals hadn’t met in a Scottish Cup final in over 20 years.
Rangers booked their place in the decider at Hampden Park thanks to a 2-0 win over Hearts on Sunday 21 April, after two Cyriel Dessers goals.
After going back through the archives of previous finals, he wrote: “First Rangers-Celtic meeting in the Scottish Cup final since 2001–02. That is insane. I keep checking to see if I have missed a year but nope.”
Rangers to win Scottish Cup v Celtic?
Rangers were in desperate need of a feel-good result coming into their Scottish Cup semi-final, and Dessers’ fifth-minute strike couldn’t have been better timed, helping them on the way towards another trip to Hampden and a first win in three games.
A 22-year gap between an Old Firm Scottish Cup final will only heighten anticipation ahead of the decider on 25 May, and with that 2002 showdown having finished 3-2 thanks to a 90th-minute winner from Peter Lovenkrands, Rangers fans will be dreaming once again.First Rangers-Celtic meeting in the Scottish Cup final since 2001–02. That is insane. I keep checking to see if I have missed a year but nope.
If the last meeting between Rangers and Celtic was anything to go by, that anticipation is more than justified after they came back from behind twice to score two late equalisers at Ibrox on 7 April.
Those heroics from Abdallah Sima and Rabbi Matondo looked to have spurred Rangers on in their bid to overtake Celtic at the top of the Scottish Premiership, but Philippe Clement’s side couldn’t take that chance and have faltered in recent games.
Defeat at Ross County and a stalemate with Dundee looked to have sent Rangers’ push for the Premiership title off the rails, but by beating Hearts, and setting up another meeting with their biggest rivals, Clement’s players now have the perfect opportunity to reignite their title charge.
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