Chris Sutton hails Celtic player but sends strong warning to Martin O’Neill
Celtic’s Scottish Cup progress at Ibrox drew strong praise from former striker Chris Sutton for one key performer in green and white.
Chris Sutton has praised Viljami Sinisalo’s performance but warned Celtic they must improve in attack after their Scottish Cup quarter-final win over Rangers at Ibrox.
Celtic reached the semi-finals after a 0–0 draw over 120 minutes and a penalty shootout in which Tomas Cvancara scored the winning kick. The result sparked loud celebrations among the travelling support packed into the Broomloan Stand.
However, the match again highlighted problems in Celtic’s forward play. Rangers controlled long spells of the game, pushing men forward and forcing Celtic to defend deep. Crosses and shots arrived regularly into the box, and Celtic created a few clear chances at the other end.
Sinisalo was central to keeping the game level. The goalkeeper stayed calm under pressure, dealing with deliveries from wide areas and reacting well to danger. One key moment came early in the second half, when he rushed from his line to block Chermiti after a defensive slip.
In front of him, Auston Trusty and Liam Scales worked hard to clear balls into the area and make blocks as Rangers searched for a breakthrough. Their efforts underlined the defensive focus of Celtic’s display.
Further forward, Celtic struggled to build attacks with any real fluency. Daizen Maeda did put the ball in the net during the first half, but the goal was ruled out after VAR judged Scales to be offside in the build-up.
The tie was finally settled from the spot, with Celtic’s takers showing composure and finishing their penalties cleanly, while Rangers missed one of theirs.
After the match, Sutton highlighted Celtic’s resilience at the back and Sinisalo’s strong showing, but he also pointed to the lack of creativity and threat in the final third as an issue that must be addressed in the league run-in.
