Celtic’s record signing Arne Engels had his part to play as the Bhoys claimed the Premier Sports Cup in a six-goal thriller against Rangers that culminated in a penalty shootout victory.
Entertainment was the order of the day at Hampden over the weekend, and it is fair to say the clash wasn’t one where defences came out on top on a chaotic afternoon at the national stadium.
Eventually, Celtic pulled through to secure a landmark triumph against Rangers. Not only did they claim Premier Sports Cup glory – they also moved ahead of their rivals’ all-time trophy count.
Brendan Rodgers and company won’t care too much about that statistic. Trophies come first; records can be dissected at the end of the season.
However, Sunday’s dramatic tale also represented a first Celtic honour for four new squad members: Arne Engels, Alex Valle, Kasper Schmeichel and Auston Trusty.
After achieving a first winners’ medal in his senior career, record Celtic buy Engels has taken to Instagram to send a brilliant message to supporters.
Arne Engels shares class message after Celtic cup triumph
Coming into the picture to replace Paulo Bernardo in 71 minutes, Engels laid on a smart cutback to supply Nicolas Kuhn for Celtic’s third goal before converting past Jack Butland during penalties.
Reacting to events at Hampden, the Belgium international took to Instagram to share a special message after his meaningful contribution on the big stage.
Accompanying snaps of him lifting the trophy, he stated: “Amazing feeling to win my first trophy for this beautiful club.”
Undoubtedly, Engels has further room for development as he looks to reach his potential at Celtic, but an assist and successful penalty in a pressure environment are a testament to his character on a day when the Bhoys needed their leading lights to step up.
Arne Engels will be hungry for more trophies at Celtic
Arriving from Augsburg, expectations have been high regarding Engels amid his £11 million price tag that has singled him out for special attention at times through no fault of his own.
Opinions over his start to life at Parkhead have been mixed. However, the cold hard numbers don’t lie, he has 11 goal contributions in 21 appearances.
Simply let the manager take control of the training field, and eventually, it will all come together. Winning regular silverware is only going to help him develop in green and white, so let’s hope that trend can continue!
