The Scottish Cup Final: The Review

The Scottish Cup Final: The Review

Team Overviews

Celtic came into their final game of the season freshly after clinching the Scottish Premiership for the 56th time after defeating Heart of Midlothian 3-1 in a dramatic last day decider. The independent KMI panel ruled earlier this week that Celtic’s late penalty against Motherwell was wrongly given by VAR, but Celtic fans won’t mind one bit as they won their 14th title in 15 years, with ‘Hearts are falling apart again’ ringing out at Hampden Park. Celtic made just one change from their XI against Hearts, with James Forrest coming back into the side in the place of Tunisian international Sebastian Tounekti.

Contrastingly, Dunfermline Athletic came into this game after their heartbreaking play-off semi-final loss to Partick Thistle, losing 3-2 on aggregate after leading the tie 1-2 at one point. Neil Lennon was looking to end Dunfermline’s 56-year wait for a major honour after they last won the Scottish Cup in 1968 against Hearts. Dunfermline were looking to be the first team in 10 years to win the Scottish Cup whilst not being in the top flight and only the fourth ever to do so.

The Main Event

It was a cagey first give minutes, with neither team getting a hold of the ball. However, when Daizen Maeda ran through on goal in the sixth minute and was knocked to the floor, there were loud shouts for a Celtic penalty with a brief VAR check before it being eventually cleared. Just two minutes later, Dunfermline responded excellently. A ball through on goal troubled Celtic keeper Sinisalo, and when the ball rolled past him headed towards goal, it seemed as if The Pars were about to be sent to dreamland. However, just in the nick of time, Liam Scales was able to get back and clear the ball off the line so save the Fin’s blushes.

In the 19th minute, suddenly the game burst into life with X plating a ball over the top which Daizen Maeda latched onto, composing himself before chipping Aston Oxborough brilliantly to open the scoring. It was Japanese’s ninth goal in seven games, hitting a rich vain in form just when Celtic needed it most.

🍀⚽️| 𝐌𝐚𝐞𝐝𝐚| 𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝟏-𝟎 𝐃𝐮𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐀𝐭𝐡𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐜

Nine goals in his last seven matches!

Celtic open the scoring on Cup Final Day through Daizen Maeda with an excellent lob over Aston Oxborough

[📹: @BBCSportScot]pic.twitter.com/veNRzcFBfm

— Football Park Scotland (@FP_Scotland) May 23, 2026

The goal gave Celtic the relief they needed, and Martin O’Neills team were able to get a foothold in the game and dominate from there on out. Dunfermline withstood some pressure, but 17 minutes later, Arne Engels unleashed a wicket strike from the edge of the box that flew past Aston Oxborough and into the back of the net to double The Hoops lead.

🍀⚽️| 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐥𝐬| 𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝟐-𝟎 𝐃𝐮𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐀𝐭𝐡𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐜

Two to the good for Celtic, just before half-time!

Arne Engels with a low drilled strike, from around 25 yards out, beats Aston Oxborough in the Pars goal

[📹: @BBCSportScot]pic.twitter.com/GybfHPCCcm

— Football Park Scotland (@FP_Scotland) May 23, 2026

Celtic continued to pile on pressure against The Pars, but Neil Lennon’s side were able to get into the break just two goals down.

HT: Celtic 2-0 Dunfermline

Dunfermline needed a big reaction in the second half and came out of the blocks flying winning two corner early on, going close to clawing a goal back. The triple substitution at half-time brought a new energy to the side, and they continued to look for a way back.

Exactly on the hour mark, Viljami Sinisalo was forced to produce a good save after a looping shot was headed goalbound. Then, just a minute later, substitute Alfons Amade dispatched a powerful effort from a similar position to Engels goal, but his shot was just wide of the target.

Celtic thought that they had put the game to bed when Kelechi Iheanacho tapped the ball into an open net after a cutback from Hyun-jun Yang, but the linesman quickly raised his flag to deem the Japanese forward offside to cancel any premature celebrations of a third goal for Celtic.

But, to the despair of the Dunfermline support, that way back never came. In the 73rd minute, substitute Kelechi Iheanacho did get his goal after skipping past a Pars defender and Aston Oxborough, eventually poking him to add Celtic’s third.

🍀⚽️| 𝐈𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐨| 𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝟑-𝟎 𝐃𝐮𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐀𝐭𝐡𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐜

The Scottish Cup looks to be heading back to Celtic Park!

Kelechi Iheanacho makes it three for Martin O'Neill's side at the National Stadium

[📹: @BBCSportScot]pic.twitter.com/3uJHlPFbVN

— Football Park Scotland (@FP_Scotland) May 23, 2026

Despite the fait of the final being all but sealed, 23-year-old Josh Cooper scored under a minute after coming on for Dunfermline. The Pars pushed to grab a second, but it never came.

🏁⚽️| 𝐂𝐨𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫| 𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝟑-𝟏 𝐃𝐮𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐀𝐭𝐡𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐜

One back for the Pars!

Josh Cooper gives the Dunfermline fans behind the goal something to cheer for at Hampden

[📹: @BBCSportScot]pic.twitter.com/Ch4ebkVgad

— Football Park Scotland (@FP_Scotland) May 23, 2026

FT: Celtic 3-1 Dunfermline

Celtic were crowned Scottish Cup champions for a record 43rd time, clinching their second major honour of the season.

Match Info

Celtic: Sinisalo (GK), Johnston, Scales, Trusty, Nygren, Hyun-Jun (Tounekti, 75'), Engels (Oxlade-Chamberlain, 75'), Maeda, McGregor, Forrest (Iheanacho, 58'), Tierney (Saracchi, 85')

Goals: Maeda (19’), Engles (36’), Iheanacho (73')

Bookings: Trusty (53')

Unused subs: Doohan, Ralston, Murray, McCowan, Osmand

Dunfermline Athletic: Oxborough (GK), Chilokoa-Mullen, Ngwenya, Gilmour, Todd, Abdulai (Amade, 59'), A. Tod (Cooper, 79'), J. Tod (Shea Kearney, 46’), Oakley-Boothe (Kane, 46’), Morrison (Rudden, 46’), Fraser

Goals: Cooper (80')

Bookings: Gilmour (40’)

Unused subs: Terrell, Benedictus, Hamilton, Fyfe

Celtic 3-1 Dunfermline Athletic

Saturday 23 May 2026; 15:00

Barclays Hampden

Attendance: 49,613

Referee: Steven McLean