2017 Scottish League Cup Final
# 2017 Scottish League Cup Final

The 2017 Scottish League Cup Final was the 72nd final of the Scottish League Cup and took place on 26 November 2017 at Hampden Park, Glasgow. The clubs contesting the final were Motherwell and Celtic. Celtic won the match 2–0, winning their 17th League Cup title.

## Route to the final

### Motherwell

| Round | Opposition | Score |
| - | - | - |
| Group stage | Queen's Park | 5–1 (a) |
| Group stage | Greenock Morton | 4–0 (h) |
| Group stage | Edinburgh City | 2–1 (a) |
| Group stage | Berwick Rangers | 1–0 (h) |
| Second round | Ross County | 3–2 (a.e.t.) (a) |
| Quarter-final | Aberdeen | 3–0 (h) |
| Semi-final | Rangers | 2–0 (n) |

Motherwell won Group F to qualify for the second round, winning all four games against Queen's Park, Greenock Morton, Edinburgh City and Berwick Rangers.

Motherwell were seeded for the second round draw and were drawn to face Group D runners-up Ross County away from home on 9 August. The Steelmen required extra time to see off a spirited home side, with Ross MacLean scoring the decisive goal eight minutes from the final whistle

Stephen Robinson's faced Aberdeen at Fir Park in the quarter-finals on 21 September. A Peter Hartley header, bookended by a Louis Moult double, secured Motherwell's place in the semi-finals.

Rangers provided the opposition at Hampden Park on 22 October. In a match filled with controversial refereeing decisions, another brace from Louis Moult sent Motherwell to the final.

### Celtic

| Round | Opposition | Score |
| - | - | - |
| Second round | Kilmarnock | 5–0 (h) |
| Quarter-final | Dundee | 4–0 (a) |
| Semi-final | Hibernian | 4–2 (n) |

As Celtic participated in European competition, they received a bye through the 2017–18 Scottish League Cup group stage. The holders were seeded for the second round draw and were drawn at home to face Group E runners-up Kilmarnock on 8 August. A brace from Leigh Griffiths and goals from Anthony Ralston, Kieran Tierney and Stuart Armstrong secured a 5–0 victory.

Celtic visited Dundee in the quarter-finals on 20 September. The Dark Blues were unable to contain Brendan Rodgers' side, with James Forrest, Scott Sinclair and Callum McGregor all on the scoresheet in a 4–0 win.

Celtic faced Hibernian in the semi-final at Hampden Park on 21 October. Two goals each from Mikael Lustig and Moussa Dembélé booked Celtic's place in the 2017 final, presenting the Bhoys with the opportunity to defend the trophy.

## Match

### Summary

Following a goalless first half, James Forrest gave Celtic the lead four minutes after the interval, controlling a Callum McGregor pass before curling the ball with his left foot into the far left corner of the net. On the hour mark, Craig Thomson awarded the Glasgow side a controversial penalty after Cédric Kipré was adjudged to have fouled Scott Sinclair. The French defender was red-carded and compatriot Moussa Dembélé converted the resultant penalty, shooting low to the centre of the net to secure back-to-back League Cup triumphs for the Scottish champions.

### Details

| Motherwell | Celtic |
| - | - |
| GK | 1 | Trevor Carson | |
| RB | 2 | Richard Tait | |
| CB | 6 | Peter Hartley | |
| CB | 21 | Cédric Kipré | 58' |
| LB | 18 | Charles Dunne | |
| CM | 4 | Liam Grimshaw | 51' |
| CM | 8 | Carl McHugh (c) 54' | |
| CM | 15 | Andy Rose | 70' |
| AM | 7 | Chris Cadden | |
| FW | 9 | Louis Moult | |
| FW | 12 | Ryan Bowman | 64' |
| Substitutes: ||
| GK | 13 | Russell Griffiths | |
| DF | 3 | Steven Hammell | |
| MF | 11 | Elliott Frear | 70' |
| FW | 17 | Alex Fisher | |
| FW | 20 | Deimantas Petravičius | |
| MF | 22 | Allan Campbell 74' | 64' |
| FW | 27 | Craig Tanner | 51' |
| Manager: ||
| Stephen Robinson ||
| GK | 1 | Craig Gordon | |
| RB | 23 | Mikael Lustig | |
| CB | 5 | Jozo Šimunović | |
| CB | 20 | Dedryck Boyata | |
| LB | 63 | Kieran Tierney | |
| CM | 8 | Scott Brown (c) 90+2' | |
| CM | 14 | Stuart Armstrong | |
| AM | 49 | James Forrest | 78' |
| AM | 42 | Callum McGregor | 89' |
| AM | 11 | Scott Sinclair | |
| FW | 10 | Moussa Dembélé 16' | 64' |
| Substitutes: ||
| GK | 24 | Dorus de Vries | |
| MF | 7 | Patrick Roberts | 78' |
| FW | 9 | Leigh Griffiths | 64' |
| MF | 18 | Tom Rogic | 89' |
| MF | 21 | Olivier Ntcham | |
| DF | 28 | Erik Sviatchenko | |
| DF | 35 | Kristoffer Ajer | |
| Manager: ||
| Brendan Rodgers ||
| Match officials Referee: Craig Thomson | Match rules 90 minutes 30 minutes of extra-time if necessary Penalty shoot-out if scores still level Seven named substitutes Maximum of three substitutions |
