Rodgers Guides Celtic To Scottish League Cup Success

                                    

Celtic eased aside Aberdeen to lift the Scottish League Cup for the 16th time and secure their 100th major trophy - the first of the Brendan Rodgers era.

Tom Rogic's precise drive into the far corner - his third goal against the Dons this season - put the Premiership leaders in front on 16 minutes.

Fellow midfielder James Forrest made it 2-0 with an almost identical strike eight minutes before the break.

The Dons threatened only briefly before Moussa Dembele's second-half penalty.

Celtic showed no ill-effects from their midweek Champions League defeat by Barcelona as they remained unbeaten domestically this season and secured a 10th straight domestic victory.

Aberdeen's fourth defeat in a row by their opponents - their third this season - denied Derek McInnes his second League Cup triumph as manager.

Celtic were looking dangerous even before they scored, Dembele's header forcing a save from Joe Lewis.

It was Rogic who unlocked this final, though. Having scored in Celtic's 4-1 win over the Dons at Pittodrie earlier in the season, and also scoring the winner in the 1-0 victory at Parkhead, the Australian delivered once more.

It had much to do with Aberdeen's incredible inability to deny Celtic space. It was a curse that blighted them all day. They were easy meat far too often.

For the opener, Jozo Simunovic stepped forward into attack, slid a pass to Rogic, who had time to take a look, take aim and fire past Lewis.