Scottish Cup fourth round

Saturday, January 21, 2023

Celtic Park, Glasgow

CELTIC… 5

(Mooy 18 pen & 85, Kyogo 21 & 45+1, Turnbull 42)

GREENOCK MORTON… 0

Celtic booked their place into the fifth round of the Scottish Cup with a comfortable 5-0 win over Greenock Morton.

Four goals came in the opening 45 minutes as Aaron Mooy, David Turnbull and two from Kyogo put the Celts in command at the break, before Mooy helped himself to a second with five minutes remaining in the second-half to defeat the Championship side and put Celtic into the hat for the next round.

Despite the score line, it was the visitors who started the brighter of the two sides, hoping for another cup shock at Celtic Park after their victory here in the League Cup 10 years ago.

The Championship side threatened from the off with a succession of corners and long throws, even forcing the first shot on target through Lewis Strapp’s half-volley which was straight at Joe Hart.

Yet, it was the Celts that took the lead from the penalty spot on 18 minutes through Mooy.

VAR was in action here as it called referee Kevin Clancy over to the monitor with the ball striking the arm of former Celtic player Efe Ambrose in the box. After much deliberation, the penalty was awarded and Mooy was the coolest man in the stadium to slot into the bottom right corner and send Brian Schwake the wrong way.

Three minutes later and it was 2-0, this time Liel Abada pounced on an error from Ambrose and the winger slotted Kyogo through on goal and he had the task of sliding the ball into the bottom left corner.

There was a slight scare straight from the restart when the VAR officials checked for a possible penalty for Morton, but it was quickly waved away and from there on out it was constant Celtic pressure.

Chances came and went, particularly for Mooy and Abada, however, the third goal would come four minutes from the break. Turnbull got it, in from the start after his goal from the bench in the 4-0 win over St Mirren on Wednesday night, and he powered home a shot from 22 yards out into the bottom right after an unselfish lay-off from Kyogo.

His unselfishness was rewarded as the Japanese striker got his second in stoppage time as Morton failed to clear Abada’s low cross and Kyogo pounced to lash home from seven yards out and get his 20^th goal of the season.

Celtic cruise past Morton and into the Scottish Cup fifth round