GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - AUGUST 15: Celtic's Dane Murray celebrates after scoring to make it 3-0 during a Premier Sports Cup Second Round match between Celtic and Falkirk at Celtic Park, on August 15, 2025, in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Ross Parker/SNS Group via Getty Images)
Celtic enjoyed a comfortable 4-1 win over Falkirk to become the first team into the last eight of the League Cup.
Last season John McGlynn’s side caused more than a few problems to the hoops in a quarter-final tie but the 2025 rematch was very different, the outcome was never in doubt.
Brendan Rodgers made six changes to the side that beat Aberdeen 2-0, the new look Starting XI highlighted that Celtic have good options in defence and midfield but are lacking in the attacking third of the pitch.
The homeside had almost total possession during the first half and took the lead in the 26th minute when Daizen Maeda came off the left wing to head in his first goal of the season.
After the match The Celtic Way reported Rodgers saying:
I thought the performance was very good. From the first whistle, you’ve seen the hunger in the team and the intensity in the team. First half, we were good with the ball. We were not so good without it.
We gave Falkirk a couple of wee opportunities to break through. We weren’t aggressive enough and tight enough on them. When we correct that at halftime, we really dominated the second half. So yeah, very pleased. Goals were excellent, and I thought we played really well.
Celtic stepped things up after the break with Falkirk unable to cope as Alistair Johnston broke through on the right to angle a low left foot shot around Scott Bain in the 54th minute.
Just past the hour Dane Murray glanced in a header from an Arne Engels corner, his first goal for Celtic coming soon after it was announced that he had renewed his contract.
Substitute Yang Hun-jun, playing on the left sent in a low pass that Liam Henderson put into his own net withKeelan Adams getting a consolation for the away team in the 67th minute.
The quarter final draw will take place at 8pm tonight from Ibrox.
As I said on another thread…Lots of good stuff…but some not so good…Yes we will hopefully dominate domestically…but Europe is the yardstick…and Ajax exposed some of our weaknesses…The defence is wide open at times and that worries me…but that’s down to the way we play so not much can be done…And finally…Our final ball isn’t good enough…and some of the crosses are really poor…Needs improvement.
If we had a Kyogo, or Giakomakis, we could have scored 5 in the first 15 minutes.
Aye…canny argue wi’ that…Our ” replacements ” aren’t doing the business often enough…Hopefully they’ll come good.