Celtic FC advanced to the semi-finals of the Scottish Cup after defeating fierce rivals Rangers FC in a penalty shoot-out following a tense and scrappy encounter at Ibrox Stadium. The fiercely contested match ended without a decisive goal in regulation and extra time, forcing the tie into penalties where Celtic eventually prevailed to secure progression to the last four. The decisive moment came when Tomáš Čvančara converted the winning penalty past Rangers goalkeeper Jack Butland. Despite the victory, the match was widely criticised for its poor quality, with both sides struggling to create clear scoring opportunities during the 120 minutes of play. The tension of the derby spilled over after the final whistle when sections of Celtic supporters entered the pitch from the Broomloan Road end. Approximately 7,500 visiting fans were present at the stadium. The situation escalated when some Rangers supporters from the Copland Stand attempted to confront the invading fans before being restrained by stewards and police. More Celtic supporters continued to stream onto the pitch, prompting club staff to appeal for calm and ask them to leave the playing area. The situation worsened when a group of Rangers fans breached the barriers and moved toward Celtic players and staff on the pitch. According to reports, one member of Celtic’s backroom staff was confronted during the incident before stewards and police intervened and escorted a supporter away. Celtic manager Martin O’Neill later said the staff member involved had attempted to prevent the situation from escalating. Another confrontation reportedly occurred when Rangers supporters approached Celtic full-back Julián Araujo, forcing the manager to lead the player away from the scene. Although the possibility of clashes between both sets of supporters briefly loomed, security personnel managed to prevent direct confrontation. However, missiles and flares were reportedly thrown during the chaos, further heightening tensions inside the stadium. Following the incident, the Scottish Football Association confirmed that it had launched an investigation into the crowd disturbances. Neither club issued an immediate official statement after the match, although further scrutiny is expected as authorities review footage and reports from the incident. The dramatic and controversial encounter adds another chapter to the long-standing rivalry between the two Glasgow clubs, while raising renewed concerns about crowd control and supporter behaviour at high-profile fixtures.
Celtic beat Rangers on penalties to reach Scottish Cup semi-finals amid crowd trouble
