Celtic v Rangers: Scottish Cup semi-final – live!

The half closes out with Aribo heading wide, another chance for Rangers, who have been the better team but unable to find a goal. John Lundstram came closest so far but it’s been tight and Rangers will have to do without Aaron Ramsey, who has limped off.

45 min: Wright gets involved quickly, and heads for the byline, only to be stopped by Starfelt’s tackle. Then another booking as Ryan Jack is given one for pulling down Hatate. The Japanese player looks to have hurt his ankle there. Cards and knocks piling up as one minute is added for the half.

43 min: Aaron Ramsey is down, he’s not looked himself all game. Scott Wright is set to come on, and the Welshman leaves the field to jeers from the Celtic fans. His fitness just hasn’t been there to do enough for Rangers and he’s feeling his hamstring as he heads down the Hampden tunnel.

41 min: Lundstram smashes the ball of the post! Left foot and back out, as Carter-Vickers sets up a counter by stopping Ramsey getting the rebound and Celtic go down the other end. Eventually Hatate’s shot dribbles wide.

40 min: Celtic rage as Juranovic is down and play is waved on, as Aribo smashes him. Then McGregor is booked, after a delay, for another of those tactical fouls.

38 min: Juranovic smashes one from long distance and it’s no trouble for McLaughlin. Celtic are being reduced to the speculative stuff.

36 min: Aribo is booked for a tactical foul on a gallivanting McGregor. There was little option other than to hack him down, and that’s the first yellow of the afternoon.

35 min: More Rangers attacking and more Celtic defending, with more relief when Joe Hart gets his hands back on the ball.

33 min: Relief for Joe Hart as Roofe and then Aribo get chance to aim free headers at him, both from close range. That comes after some loose play from Celtic’s Starfelt.

32 min: Ooof! Lundstram clatters into McGregor, who spins into the air. Then Jota is clattered. Celtic can’t make much of the free-kick, and are struggling to pose any threat to Rangers in attack.

31 min: Another Rangers corner, and Tavernier whips it in, but Aribo can’t get to it cleanly. In the stands, the singing continues to be raucous.

29 min: Rogic clips Roofe and Rangers have a free-kick in a dangerous position. Who fancies it? Ramsey is the answer and he smashes it over, a shot in keeping with his showing so far.

28 min: It’s scrappy, nervy, tetchy. Yes, it’s an Old Firm game all right, though the tinderbox is yet to be properly lit.

26 min: Simon McMahon gets in touch: “Hi John. Your post immediately prior to kick off about the flags on display at both ends is a good one, and will have been noted with interest by fans of all other clubs in Scotland, who tend to view the teams playing today with a mixture of amusement and contempt. Whilst watching every second, of course.”

25 min: Nervy from McLaughlin in the Rangers goal, as he knocks behind. Celtic take the corner short again; they don’t seem to trust their presence in the air so are trying to pass their way through.

23 min: Ramsey’s touch is loose - again, the game is passing him by - and Maeda speeds away for Celtic. Rangers are grateful to only concede a corner, and they get that clear.

20 min: A nice Rangers move is broken up at the edge of Celtic box before Juranovic is forced to head behind when Tavernier spinnakers in a cross from the right. Rangers seem the likelier at the moment though Celtic clear the danger for now.

18 min: Settling down now after that explosive start? It seems so, and we are veering into the territory of an intriguing tactical battle. After the Braga game, Rangers probably need to conserve energy.

16 min: For Celtic, Maeda attempts a shot on goal that involves him spinning and backheeling. Real freestyle stuff, but useless in truth. The ball isn’t sticking up front too much for Celtic.

14 min: Kent wins a corner for Rangers, and Celtic’s set-piece mettle is tested before Roofe is penalised for smashing into Juranovic.

12 min: Tavernier forges up from defence on a typical overlap. Then Aribo has chance to force the issue but only manages to hit the first defender.

10 min: Ramsey gets in a good position but his first touch lets him down. He still looks very rusty in a Rangers shirt. At the other end, Jota finds space but shoots high and wide.

8 min: A masked McGregor is lucky not to be booked for smashing into Aribo. Well, it is the first ten minutes of an Old Firm. Then Roofe has a dig from distance but wide of Joe Hart’s goal. It’s an open affair so far.

6 min: Jota’s ball across the Rangers box is cleared, and then as Celtic push back up, he gets on the end of an Abada cross but nods over. Very difficult to score from there.

4 min: Rangers begin with plenty of energy but Celtic look to score on the counter. Barasic almost lets in Abada and McLaughlin has to rush out to stop the move.

3 min: The smoke is taking its time to dissipate as Celtic begin the game with a spell of possession. But it’s Rangers who go away first, with John Lundstram playing in Ramsey, and then on to Kent, who is blocked by a fine tackle by McGregor.

1 min: They kick off with the Glaswegian air full of smoke. Plenty of pyro, plenty of partying.

Hampden is bouncing ahead of kick-off, flags waving all over the stands, including those of Ireland and the United Kingdom.

The Rangers manager, Gio van Bronckhorst, speaks to Premier Sports.

.css-1kirxkk{height:1em;width:1.5em;margin-right:3px;vertical-align:baseline;fill:#0077B6;}The first time here as a manager, but I played here a lot as a player. We are here to win the game and go to the final. We have to go for it and have the same intensity. That’s what it takes to win games. The game on Thursday was mentally a very big boost for us. Physically we can recover in two days. Reaching the final is our focus now. I think we prepared well. [McLaughlin in for McGregor] He’s a good goalkeeper not only in the cup but in the league, I have full confidence in Jon.

Ange Postecoglou, coming off 33 games unbeaten with Celtic, speaks to Premier Sport.

.css-1kirxkk{height:1em;width:1.5em;margin-right:3px;vertical-align:baseline;fill:#0077B6;}You don’t come to this place unless it’s a special game, I’m totally looking forward to it. Bring it on. When you get close to achieving things the anxiety kicks in. You join this club with high expectations. I don’t think a lot of rest went on, we worked hard for eight days. We had a good week. We have got to be playing our best football. This is where everything gets decided.

Rangers raised the Roofe on Thursday.

Hearts await in the final for the winner of this one, after Saturday’s capital city derby.

.css-1kirxkk{height:1em;width:1.5em;margin-right:3px;vertical-align:baseline;fill:#0077B6;}Hearts lost to Celtic in both the 2019 and 2020 finals and they will face either the Rangers or Rangers who play in the other semi-final on Sunday, a game which will no doubt bring its own drama.

What does those teams mean? Liel Abada comes in for Giorgos Giakoumakis in attack. Kyogo Furuhashi, the magic man, is on the bench. Could be some tired legs for Rangers as it’s the same team who went into extra time with Braga, with only Allan McGregor rested, with Jon McLaughlin coming in between the sticks.

Celtic: Hart, Juranovic, Carter-Vickers, Starfelt, Taylor, McGregor, Hatate, Rogic, Jota, Maeda, Abada. Subs: Bain, Jullien, Kyogo, Turnbull, McCarthy, Ideguchi, Johnston, O’Riley, Forrest, Ralston, Welsh

Rangers: McLaughlin, Tavernier, Goldson, Bassey, Barisic, Lundstram, Jack, Aribo, Ramsey, Kent, Roofe. Subs: McGregor, Balogun, King, Davis, Kamara, Sands, Wright, Arfield, Lowry, Diallo, Sakala

Just like south of the border, this cup semi has doubles and trebles on the line. Both are still chasing the league title, while Celtic can add the Scottish Cup to the Scottish League Cup. And Rangers are going for an even higher tariff treble in being in the semis of the Europa League. These are exciting times across the Glaswegian giants, and such ratcheting of the stakes must surely makes for a classic Hampden stramash. The two met back at the start of the month, with Celtic taking away a famous win from Ibrox. It’s 2-1 Celtic on meetings between the two so far this season, and there’s one more to follow on 1 May. Familiarity breeding contempt? You bet.

Kick-off is at 2pm, join me.