Nigeria star Kelechi Iheanacho on target as Celtic win Scottish FA Cup to complete domestic double

Nigerian forward Kelechi Iheanacho came off the bench to score as Celtic defeated Dunfermline Athletic 3-1 in the Scottish FA Cup final at Hampden Park.

The victory capped another outstanding season for Celtic, who added the Scottish Cup to the Premiership title they secured last week, completing a domestic trophy double in impressive fashion.

Iheanacho played a key role in the triumph after being introduced in the second half and making an immediate impact with a goal that effectively sealed the result for Martin O’Neill’s side.

Celtic started the final strongly and quickly asserted their dominance over Dunfermline Athletic. Japanese forward Daizen Maeda opened the scoring in the first half, giving the Glasgow giants an early advantage.

The pressure continued to mount on Dunfermline as Belgian midfielder Arne Engels doubled Celtic’s lead before halftime, putting the Premiership champions firmly in control heading into the break.

With Celtic comfortably ahead, Iheanacho was introduced in the 58th minute as Martin O’Neill looked to add fresh attacking energy to his side.

The Nigerian striker wasted little time making his mark. Just 15 minutes after coming on, Iheanacho found the back of the net to make it 3-0, finishing confidently to put the outcome beyond doubt and spark celebrations among the Celtic supporters inside Hampden Park.

Although Dunfermline Athletic F.C. managed to reduce the deficit in the 80th minute through Josh Cooper, the goal proved to be nothing more than a late consolation as Celtic comfortably saw out the remainder of the contest.

The triumph secured Celtic’s 43rd Scottish Cup title, further cementing the club’s status as one of the most successful teams in Scottish football history.

For Iheanacho, the goal represented another positive moment in what has been a strong finish to the campaign. Since arriving at Celtic, the former Leicester City F.C. striker has steadily grown in importance and confidence.

The Super Eagles forward ends the season with an impressive tally of nine goals and one assist across all competitions, underlining his contribution to Celtic’s successful campaign.

His recent form will also be encouraging news for Nigeria national football team supporters ahead of upcoming international fixtures, as the experienced attacker appears to be rediscovering his rhythm in front of goal.

Celtic’s dominant domestic campaign and Iheanacho’s resurgence have given fans plenty of reasons for optimism heading into next season, with the club expected to continue competing strongly both domestically and in Europe.