Henrik Larsson broke the post-war Scottish goalscoring record to send
Celtic into the Scottish Cup final.
The Swede struck either side of the interval before second half substitute
Jackie McNamara grabbed a third with 11 minutes remaining to end the resistance
of a stubborn Dundee United, who bagged a late consolation through Derek
Lilley.
After the euphoria of winning the championship and the Double last week the
Celtic players came to Hampden Park focused on booking their place in the
final of the Cup.
The domestic clean sweep was now the target and only Premier League strugglers
Dundee United stood in their way.
Celtic manager Martin O'Neill also had the added bonus of being able to recall
£6million striker Chris Sutton to the side at the expense of Tommy Johnson,
whose goal sealed the title.
But Dundee United manager Alex Smith had other plans as he attempted to make
history by becoming the first boss north of the border to win the trophy with
three different teams.
The former Aberdeen and St Mirren manager has dramatically turned the club's
fortunes around and has dragged them off the foot of the SPL and to the brink of
survival.
The players have been rejuvenated and Smith had the luxury of naming the same
11 players that drew with Hearts last week.
The fact that they knocked fallen giants Rangers out at the quarter-final
stage and also beat them at Ibrox recently was a big enough warning for
all-conquering Celtic.
Celtic made a flying start and Didier Agathe showed in the early exchanges
that he had the better of young full-back Jamie Buchan.
In the second minute he left Buchan and David Hannah in his wake as he raced
away down the right flank, but his delivery was poor and Danny Griffin was able
to clear down field.
Chris Sutton and Larsson were showing great movement up front, but
United also showed much promise on the break.
Space opened up for former Rangers midfielder Charlie Miller in the 10th
minute, but his right-foot shot from 22 yards flew just over Robert Douglas'
crossbar.
Celtic looked nervous at the back and they breathed a sigh of relief when
referee Hugh Dallas waved away United's claims for a penalty.
Stephen Thompson played the ball up to Lilley and the striker went down
in the area under the challenge of Paul Lambert, but Celtic escaped.
That stirred the champions and Jim Lauchlan did well to head Alan Thompson's
dangerous cross over with Sutton breathing down his neck.
Moments later Lambert found Joos Valgaeren in the box, but he fired over the
bar from a tight angle.
Sutton was causing the United defence all kinds of problems and it was the
former Chelsea man who came closest to breaking the deadlock in the 27th
minute.
Agathe teed the ball up for Henrik Larsson to deliver the perfect cross into
the box and Sutton soared highest, but watched as his header rocketed back off
the upright.
But Celtic took the lead with a wonderful move that was finished off by
Swedish star Larsson, who scored his 48th goal of the season to equal Charlie
Nicholas' post-war record.
But it was Sutton who made the goal as he refused to accept Johan Mjallby's
ball down field was going out and Jason De Vos allowed him to swing over a cross
for Larsson to get ahead of Jim Lauchlan and bullet a diving header past Paul
Gallacher.
That ended a barren run for Larsson of three matches without a goal, but he
has a nack of saving them for the big occasions.
HT: Celtic 1 Dundee United 0
As expected United came out with all guns blazing after the break, but too often
their final ball let them down.
The Tannadice outfit become more desperate as the half wore on, but Lilley's
over-exuberance cost him a booking in the 49th minute when he caught Lambert
with an unnecessary late tackle.
As United pushed more men forward, they were in grave danger of being caught
on the break and so it almost proved in the 57th minute.
Larsson got on the end of Lubo Moravcik's long-range ball and teased De Vos
just inside the box before cutting in and curling a superb left-foot shot just
the post.
But United were not completely out of it and a blunder by Douglas almost
granted them an equaliser.
The former Dundee keeper dropped Buchan's cross after Miller had sent him away
down the left, but fortunately for Celtic no United player was able to
capitalise and Valgaeren cleared.
Despite winning the double and remaining on course for the treble, the Celtic
supporters seemed subdued, but that could only be a reflection of just how well
their opponents had played.
O'Neill also tried to tighten up in midfield and brought McNamara on
for Moravcik in the 68th minute.
United manager Alex Smith needed more thrust upfront and switched Craig Easton
for Jim Hamilton in the 74th minute.
The effect was almost immediate as a long throw-in eluded Valgaeren and
dropped to the big forward.
But Vega, who had lost sight of the ball, got back in time to put Hamilton off
his stride.
However Celtic had soon ensured their passage into the final.
Danny Griffin struggled to cope with Larsson on the corner of the area and
eventually hauled him down.
Referee Dallas immediately pointed to the spot, from where the Swede sent
Gallacher the wrong way to break Charlie Nicholas' post-war Scottish goalscoring
record.
Moments later, Larsson turned provider when he sent substitute Jackie McNamara
clear on goal and he drove past Gallacher.
Lilley secured a consolation with five minutes remaining after a mix-up
between Douglas and Valgaeren but it was too little, too late.
FT: Celtic 3 Dundee United 1
Teams
Celtic: Douglas, Mjallby (Boyd 85), Vega, Valgaeren, Agathe,
Lennon, Lambert, Moravcik (McNamara 67), Thompson,Sutton (Johnson 85), Larsson.
Subs Not Used: Gould, Healy.
Goals: Larsson 32, 79 pen, McNamara 80.
Dundee Utd: Gallacher, De Vos, Griffin, Lauchlan, Hannah,
Easton, Buchan, Miller, McCunnie (Partridge 85), Lilley, Thompson.
Subs Not Used: Combe, Venetis, Hamilton, Winters.
Booked: Lilley, Partridge.
Goals: Lilley 84.
Att: 38,699
Ref: H Dallas (Scotland).
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