CELTIC SUFFER FIRST EVER CUP LOSS UNDER BRENDAN RODGERS

 

Injury ravaged Celtic have suffered their first cup loss under Brendan Rodgers in the Irishman's first big test since returning to the Celtic hot seat.

During his first spell at Celtic, Rodgers never lost a domestic cup tie.

But his side struggled to create openings against an upbeat Kilmarnock side and Marley Watkins touched in the only goal on 59 minutes.

Kilmarnock, who beat Rangers at this ground on the opening day of the season, pressed bravely and grafted with a quair bit of spirit.

Despite having just 30% of possession, Derek McInnes' side probably had the better of the few chances in the match.

Celtic started brightly with a few decent moves but some players strangely appeared to look more and more disinterested as the game wore on. 

Some of the same players who performed so well last season didn't look to be playing with the same sort of adventure or desire to impress. 

Celtic sub Yang did get a good glimpse of goal late on, but Kilmarnock's Brad Lyons made an important lunging block.

Celtic were denied what appeared to be a stonewall penalty when Haksabanovic was scythed down in the box, the Kilmarnock defender made no contact with the ball but hooked the Celtic man's standing leg away from him. 

However, and not for the first time this afternoon, both the referee and his VAR team showed absolutely no interest in awarding Celtic anything at all. 

Kilmarnock were camped in their own penalty area during seven minutes of stoppage time, holding on to spark wild scenes of jubilation in the home end of the stadium.

They go on to meet Hearts in the quarter finals but Celtic bow out of the wee Diddy Cup at this stage for the first time in donkey's years.

If anything it was a good run out for a few of our new players and should serve to give us a good kick up the arse before getting back into the bread and butter of the league and the UEFA Champions League Group stages.

Let's hope we're ready.

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers said: 

"We didn't do enough when we had the ball. We didn't show enough personality and didn't show the quality to win the game.

"You have to give all the credit to Kilmarnock. They defended strongly, got their blocks in and took one of the few chances they had in the game.

"I have to analyse ourselves, though, and the quality wasn't good enough in the game."

The Bhoys next match will be at home to St Johnstone next Saturday with a 3:00pm kick off.