Celtic out to end Hampden hoodoo
Emilio Izaguirre admits Celtic are determined to end their Hampden
hoodoo when they face Dundee United in their Scottish Cup semi-final on
Sunday.
The Hoops have suffered heartbreak in their past three trips to the
national stadium and the Celtic defender says his team-mates have all
the motivation they need to end this dismal run.
Neil Lennon’s side lost 3-2 St Mirren on their last visit to the
national stadium in the League Cup semi-finals in January, and suffered
a similar fate there against Kilmarnock, in the League Cup final, and
Hearts, in the Scottish Cup semis, last season.
But, far from dreading Sunday’s appearance at the same venue, the
Honduran international insists the players are relishing making a return
to finally banish the hurt that has been festering since St Mirren
denied them a shot at a domestic treble.
“We treat every game as a final anyway but we really want to win this
one as we haven’t won in the last three games at Hampden, so this is a
real incentive for all the players,” Izaguirre said.
“This is football, sometimes it happens, but it just makes us more
determined to win this one so hopefully it will be a positive for us.
“We have to go with a mentality that we are going to win and trust God
that it will happen.” The Hoops are just one point away from clinching
the Scottish Premier League title and a win against Jackie McNamara’s
side would take them a step closer to securing a first double for
manager Lennon.
“We really want to win the double,” Izaguirre continued. “It’s really
important for us and that’s why I have faith in God that we will do it.
“Obviously, we want to win everything at the start of the season,
which is the three trophies. We now only have two to win and we really
want to win them both, and this is our mentality.
“It is the mindset of every player at Celtic, especially as we are a
big club and want to win every competition we enter.”
United, who won the Scottish Cup in 2010, are on a high after Rory
Boulding’s last-gasp strike against Aberdeen last weekend clinched them
a place in the top six of the SPL.
And the striker is hoping to continue his goal-scoring form against
the Parkhead side on Sunday.
“Hopefully I can get a few more for United, starting on Sunday. If I
get on the pitch I will definitely be looking to find the back of the
net. “I am sure there will be a big crowd and a fantastic atmosphere,”
Englishman Boulding said.
AFP
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