Nigerian striker Kelechi Iheanacho was on target as Celtic defeated Dunfermline 3 1 in the Scottish Cup final on Saturday to complete a memorable domestic double. The victory came just one week after Celtic secured the Scottish Premiership title in dramatic fashion.
Celtic delivered another dominant performance at Hampden Park, with goals from Daizen Maeda, Arne Engels and Iheanacho sealing the club’s 43rd Scottish Cup triumph. Dunfermline managed a late consolation through Josh Cooper, but Celtic remained firmly in control throughout the encounter.
Martin O’Neill’s side took the lead in the 19th minute after Alistair Johnston provided a clever pass for Maeda, who calmly lifted the ball over goalkeeper Aston Oxborough. Celtic extended their advantage before halftime when Engels unleashed a powerful long range effort that left the goalkeeper with no chance.
Iheanacho added the third goal in the 72nd minute after latching onto a through ball from Benjamin Nygren. The Nigerian forward displayed impressive footwork to beat several defenders before finishing confidently into the net. His strike effectively ended any hopes of a Dunfermline comeback.
The victory marked Celtic’s ninth consecutive win in all competitions and highlighted the remarkable impact of interim manager Martin O’Neill. The experienced coach has guided the club to an impressive finish to the season and now boasts nine major honours during his time with Celtic across two different spells.
Celtic’s domestic double is their 14th in club history and caps off an outstanding campaign for the Glasgow giants. The Hoops had secured the league title only days earlier after coming from behind to defeat Hearts 3 1 on the final day of the season.
While speculation continues over O’Neill’s future at the club, Celtic supporters celebrated another historic achievement as the team once again demonstrated their dominance in Scottish football.
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