Glasgow Rangers of Scotland midfielder, Joe Aribo is still relishing his side’s victory over local rivals, Celtic in the Scottish Cup, with a view that he would be able to get his first double as a professional footballer, megasportsarena.com reports.
Aribo was seen celebrating wildly with his teammates, after Steven Davis’ overhead kick and Jonjoe Kenny’s own goal kept up Rangers’ hopes of a domestic double with a 2-0 Old Firm win over holders Celtic in the Scottish Cup.
Almost five years to the day since their last defeat in the competition, to the same opposition, Aribo was thrilled in helping The Gers teach their visitors a lesson in finishing at Ibrox by the Scottish Premiership winners, who go through to host St Johnstone in round five.
It was an evening of multiple delight for the former Charlton Athletic of England star, as Rangers went ahead with their first shot of the game when his deflected effort was fired over his own shoulder by Davis and past a bamboozled Scott Bain with 10 minutes gone.
They doubled their lead when Aribo’s excellent run and cross was turned past his own goalkeeper by Kenny under pressure from Ryan Kent, and the Super Eagles’ dazzler son left Diego Laxalt chasing shadows down the right before crossing low towards Kent, whose pressure on Kenny was enough for the Everton loanee to divert the ball into his own goal.
Celtic should have reduced the deficit after half-time through Odsonne Edouard, who fired over an empty net from six yards before missing a penalty with 10 minutes to go. In the end they had no response to Rangers’ confidence in front of goal, and will end their season without a trophy for the first time in over a decade.
Neither side registered a shot inside the opening 10 minutes at Ibrox, but from the off it was clear who was in control, with Rangers probing the Celtic backline and taking the lead with their first attempt.
Kent’s quick-thinking turn on Brown set the hosts away, before a smart advantage, when he was chopped down by Stephen Welsh in midfield, allowed him to find Aribo, who sent Leigh Griffiths tumbling in the area, before Edouard capped his own dreadful afternoon with a woeful penalty which was easily kept out by the goalkeeper.
Aribo ended up getting named man of the match, with his runs and efforts counting for much, including a well taken shot he fired after cutting inside was deflected and reached Davis, whose smart overhead kick caught Bain unawares.
Aribo could have added a third in the dying minutes but was denied by a crucial Greg Taylor challenge, but that only denied Rangers the cherry on the cake of a season which may well end in their first domestic double since 2008/09.
A report by Sky Sports noted: “Aribo had a hand in both Rangers goals, seeing his deflected effort turned in by Davis for the first before Kenny did the honours past his own goalkeeper for the second.
“The Nigeria international had a fine afternoon on the Rangers right, so much so that Laxalt’s half-time withdrawal had a lot to do with his dominance in that area. He could have capped an excellent performance by adding the late third he should have turned home, but he was superb regardless.”
