Celtic managed to stave off a scare from Championship side Falkirk to secure their spot in the League Cup semi-finals with a 5-2 victory.
Despite their recent triumph in the Champions League, the Hoops found themselves on the back foot early in the game at Parkhead.
Falkirk, unbeaten in 43 league matches, were undeterred by Celtic’s stature and wasted no time in testing Kasper Schmeichel, the veteran goalkeeper.
The Bairns took a shock lead through Ross MacIver, whose superb strike flew past Schmeichel, sending the away fans into raptures.
Celtic responded swiftly. Paulo Bernardo equalised with a volley just ten minutes later, but Falkirk continued to hold their own.
Their resilience was rewarded when Finn Yeats restored their lead before half-time, heading past Schmeichel to stun the home crowd once more.
The second half saw Celtic emerge a different side, and it wasn’t long before the floodgates opened. Adam Idah took matters into his own hands, netting twice in quick succession to put Celtic ahead for the first time in the match.
With the momentum firmly on their side, Nicolas Kuhn added a brace of his own, ensuring Celtic’s passage into the semi-finals. Falkirk, despite their spirited performance, were simply unable to match Celtic’s firepower as the game wore on.
Celtic’s reward for their efforts is a semi-final showdown with Aberdeen, set to take place on the weekend of November 2/3. Rangers, meanwhile, will face Motherwell in the other semi-final.
However, the joy of reaching the semi-finals was somewhat tempered by the reaction of Celtic fans to the performance of Luis Palma.
The winger, who had been given a rare start, endured a torrid evening, with many in the crowd left unimpressed by his efforts. After being substituted in the 61st minute, the criticism poured in.
Palma’s lack of threat going forward and his apparent reluctance to help out defensively did not go unnoticed.
The 24-year-old’s display was particularly disappointing considering young Alex Valle, making his Celtic debut, was left exposed at times due to Palma’s failure to track back and offer support.
Fans took to social media to express their frustration with Palma, describing his performance as “dreadful” and calling for him to be sold. Some labelled him “rotten” and “embarrassing” as their anger became evident.
Palma’s limited playing time this season, amounting to just 106 minutes across four appearances, has done little to endear him to the fans, and his showing against Falkirk may have only further diminished his standing at the club.
Rodgers, however, will be pleased with the impact made by his substitutes, particularly Nicolas Kuhn and Arne Engels, whose introductions helped turn the tide in Celtic’s favour.
For Falkirk, it was a night where their valiant efforts ultimately fell short, but they can hold their heads high after pushing Celtic to their limits.