Celtic 3 Inverness 1 LIVE score as Jota restores two goal lead to spark Hampden Treble party

We’re into six minutes of injury time as Man of the Match Jota is taken off and replaced by James Forrest.

And that is truly that, with Jota putting the finishing touches on things.

It was do or die time for Inverness and throwing more attacking gusto at this Celtic team was always going to give them an opportunity to pounce.

They can be proud of their efforts todays and have certainly given their supporters something to shout about.

But this day belongs to the Hoops and soon-to-be world record Treble holders.

The Caley goal has shocked the Celtic players back into action and they are itching to restore their two-goal lead and put this to bed.

McGregor plays a lovely ball in behind and Haksabanovic has plenty of time to pick his spot, but Ridgers’ right foot keeps them in it.

The Caley fans are going mental. Their goal has come from nowhere but they don’t care where or how it has come about.

This game had everyone looking at the clock wondering when the full-time whistle was going to sound but they have lit a fuse under it again.

Tough task getting another but it’s now set for a tasty end to this one.

Inverness make another double change, with club icon Aaron Doran and Roddy MacGregor replacing Allardice and Shaw.

It’s fair to say Sead Haksabanovic has had a bit of stop-start season, and he’s clearly out to impress. The Montenegrin winger flashes an effort over the bar from the edge of the box, after a neat interchange with Jota.

The full scale of what Dodds and co have been up against today has been displayed by what Celtic have had off the bench.

Oh, David Turnbull and Haksabanovic, all seven figure players, coming onto a game to ensure victory is confirmed. In an enviroment like this, it’s not bad options to turn to for a seeing out mission.

And they have the quality to pick off a Caley team, who no doubt by this point will feel the literal heat and a gruelling set of hard yards.

Not to be outdone, the soon-to-be treble winners make a double change of their own, with David Turnbull and Sead Haksabanovic replacing Reo Hatate and Matt O’Riley.

Zak Delaney and Austin Samuels enter the fray for Inverness, for Danny Devine and Billy McKay

A mistake from Mark Ridgers in the Inverness goal leads to a chance as Abada finds O’Riley, but the midfielder’s effort at goal is not his best and the goalkeeper can save comfortably.

Perhaps what is so impressive about this Celtic march to another Treble is how easy they have made it look, on all fronts.

That’s not to say it is, these things rarely are so simple. But the Hoops have been able to coast through games it seems and then with one flick of the dial, they ramp up and punish teams.

That is what has happened here again today. And it looks set to hand them more silverware.

Allardice is beaten by Jota’s trickery and simply grabs a hold of the winger. About as nailed-on a booking as you’re likely to see.

In the wake of the second goal, Inverness have brought off Jay Henderson and he’s replaced by Daniel MacKay.

And you get the feeling that will be that in terms of where this famous trophy is going to be going after this.

Inverness have put up as best a fight as they can but Celtic roaming about their half for best part of 70 minutes was always going to give them chances – and the Hoops have struck when it’s mattered.

Now fans are getting set for a Treble party to really kick into gear.

Caley win a free kick down the right and load up their attackers, but the set piece from Welsh is too long and drifts harmlessly into Joe Hart’s greatful gloves.

There is that lull again we caught sight of in the first half – and there is not a lot happening in it.

Inverness are starting to see a little more of the ball but they don’t seem to have the magic spark to fully open the way to testing Joe Hart.

As long as the game is a one-score margin, they are well in it. But Celtic have moved down the gears again and seem happy to just wait for the premium moment to strike.

There’s an initial quietening of the crowd as the subs board goes up for the second time for Celtic which quickly turns to raucous appreciation as the goalscorer Kyogo, an injury doubt for this one remember, is replaced by South Korean striker Oh Hyeon-gyu

Inverness break clear with a three v three, but Allardice can’t quite get his final pass beyond Starfelt and the move breaks down.

Celtic have replaced Daizen Maeda with Liel Abada in a straight swap tactically. It’s been a quiet early evening for the Japanese forward.

Caley get in behind on the right hand side through Duffy and his low cross just evades the outstretched Nathan Shaw and the chance is gone. That could serve as a wee wake up call for the Celtic defence.

It’s the small, unseen bits of movement that really make Kyogo the fearsome player he is.

Inverness had the ball facing their own goal and were looking to turn. Before the defender had even made his move, Kyogo was making his run in behind to make sure he was ready to roll if his teammate won the ball back.

So hard to stop, as Inverness have found out to their detriment.

Jota is released into acres of space and the winger cuts inside before a nice backheel for Hatate, with the midfielder eventually being crowded out before he could find the killer pass.

Again the initial feeling is Jota could have had the shot there.

This game is in an odd spot of both teams having decisions to make here.

Celtic, well, there’s is a little less pressing. They can keep plugging away as with the lead they have, they can get over the line and get cup glory,

Inverness on the other hand need to weigh up when is the right time to open up. Ridgers might be getting busier.

Kyogo seems to have an almost Pippo Inzaghi-esque knack of playing right on the very edge of offside and he’s found by another excellent ball into the channel by Alistair Johnston, with the striker’s effort foiled by Ridgers before the assistant referee’s flag goes up.

They say it’s the mark of champions that you win when not at your best and Celtic have certainly not been in top form this afternoon.

The fact that we’re debating whether or not Kyogo had even had a touch before his goal proves the point.

But touch it he certainly did in the 37th minute to give his team the all-important breakthrough. Super Caley will certainly have to go ballistic in the second half if they’re going to salvage their Scottish Cup dream and that should make for a very entertaining rest of the game.

A bit of handbags between the two sets of players as Sean Welsh awkwardly fouls Jota, before his team-mate David Carson then boots the ball off the grounded Portuguese winger. There’s an apology from the Caley man, but not enough to avoid the first yellow card of the game.

Inverness have a major dilemma on their hands heading into the interval.

Their initial approach was all fine and well but what was the Plan B for when Celtic managed to get in behind their defence and score?

Dodds now has two choices. Continue as they have been and hope for a break of the ball, or does he try to throw caution to the wind and open themselves up?

Tough spot.

The goalscorer does brilliantly to create the space and receive the ball from Hatate, and his outside-of-the-foot effort flies just wide with Ridgers rooted.

Still Celtic 1-0 Inverness, but that was close. Celtic have their tails up now.

Celtic win another corner and take it short, with the low cross evading the first line of defence before it’s eventually cleared.

He is the man for the small, medium and large occasions. He is there when they need him most.

Inverness have been doing so well. And with one dip of the shoulder and clinical swing of the boot, Kyogo finds the net.

He loves this stadium and seems to thrive on making his adoring fans sing at the biggest games. Even at 1-0, now three sides of Hampden are with Ange’s side, it is a long way back for Inverness.

They need more in attack as one more for Celtic and it’s goodnight.

Johnston plays O’Riley in behind with a nice ball in the channel, but the Danish U21 international’s effort is a bit of a low cross-cum-shot and Ridgers is able to grab hold.

Daizen Maeda is starting to become more involved, first with a neat exchange of passes with Hatate leading to a fortunate bounce off Carson, before the Japanese World Cup forward cuts inside to fire a tame effort low and wide of Mark Ridgers goal.

Not a single shot on target in the opening 34 minutes. It has not been one for the purists anyway, that’s for sure.

Celtic just seem to be down a couple of gears. Everyone knows how quickly they can up them but that final pass into the box just hasn’t been there all early evening.

Inverness making them play through them is not helping and their attacking threats have not been able to do anything meaningful.

But you feel Inverness need to get more time on the ball to try and save some energy, as this is a tiring approach mentally and physically.

Celtic’s first half hour of this final can be summed up with the latest mis-cue from Matt O’Riley as the ball goes out for a throw-in under very little pressure.

A slight lull in the game and perhaps an ever so slight notion of tension again fills the air.

This is going to be no cricket score like some have anticipated if this first almost 30 minutes of action is to go by. Inverness are making it hard for Celtic to even muster a chance.

It has not been a bombardment of Hoops attacks for all their posession and every fiery moment is being met with a bit more of an anxious whistle.

Billy Dodds will be delighted. But there’s still so much time to go, and he’ll know one moment can change everything, for better or worse.

Reo Hatate’s deflected cross causes momentary panic in the Inverness back line, but it falls fortuitously for them and they have the time in the box to clear.

Another corner for Celtic as the ball bobbles off the shin of Allardice. O’Riley swings it in, but Starfelt is beaten in the air and Caley can complete the clearance.

A slack pass from Inverness allows Hatate to play in Jota, but the Japanese midfielder’s footing goes at the vital moment and the chance is lost. I’m more surprised that Jota didn’t have the shot.

Celtic 0-0 Inverness.

A big day for Iwata you feel, this is.

He has a task few would want in replacing Carter-Vickers and a sturdy performance from him throughout the game next to Starfelt will be key.

He won’t be tested every passing minute but with that comes a need to stay sharp when those moments of danger appear.

Inverness tried to put him in a couple of tricky scenarios in the opening 20 but to this point has dealt with them well enough.

Reo Hatate looks to play in Jota over the top, but the ball falls just out of reach of Matt O’Riley, who still manages to get a shot away on the stretch, but it goes harmlessly wide. Inverness coping well at the moment with Celtic yet to get out of first gear.

Celtic 0-0 Inverness.

Daizen Maeda wins a free-kick for his side after Wallace Duffy’s high challenge, but the free-kick comes to nothing as Alistair Johnston’s attempted headed lay-off is cleared.

They did well there Inverness to get themselves out of danger.

First it was Ridgers’ loose pass out and then another stray ball from midfield threatened to allow Celtic in to punish a needless mistake.

Duffy did well though to take it round Maeda and prevent danger. Composure is going to be key and they have managed the opening quarter well, with Celtic having no clear chances as yet.

Celtic are facing an encamped Inverness defence, but Tomoki Iwata’s attempted pass to release Alistair Johnston is overhit and goes out for a goal kick.

Fifteen minutes played, still Celtic 0-0 Inverness.

Celtic win the first corner of the afternoon as Devine gets his foot on the ball to divert it out for the corner. It was a defence-splitting ball and required the vital touch to avoid sending Kyogo through.