Scottish League Cup: Ruthless Celtic put six past Aberdeen to reach final – reaction & report

Outstanding Daizen Maeda netted a Hampden hat-trick as six-goal Celtic booked a place in the Scottish League Cup final and ended Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin’s unbeaten start to the season in devastating fashion.

Pre-match pyrotechnics engulfed the national stadium in smoke – resulting in a 13-minute delay – but when sight of the pitch cleared, Brendan Rodgers’ rampant side put on a dazzling show of clinical attacking play.

Just three minutes after Cameron Carter-Vickers had thumped in Arne Engels’ corner, the magnificent Maeda raced clear to sit down goalkeeper Dimitar Mitov and tee up Japan team-mate Kyogo Furuhashi to slam in a second.

Rodgers’ men, who are yet to lose in 13 domestic games this term, had a third before the break when the sublime Nicolas Kuhn guided a ball in behind for Maeda to fire in his first of the night.

The Dons staged a two-goal comeback at Celtic Park a fortnight ago, but there was no chance of a revival at Hampden when Maeda knocked in a back-post rebound before Kuhn hammered in a goal his display merited just before the hour.

And Japan forward Maeda had his third and Celtic’s sixth when he provided the finishing touch to a stunning free-flowing move.

Although Aberdeen remain level on points with Celtic at the top of the Premiership, the chastening defeat serves as a reality check for Thelin, who now has first-hand experience of the damage Scotland’s dominant force can inflict.

Rodgers’ side will face either holders Rangers or Motherwell, who meet at the national stadium on Sunday, in the final on 15 December.