Moussa Dembele blasted a second consecutive hat-trick as Celtic thrashed Inverness Caledonian Thistle 6-0 in their Scottish Cup fifth round tie at Celtic Park.
Mikael Lustig opened their account midway through the first period and Dembele completed his treble either side of the break, before Kieran Tierney and skipper Scott Brown added late goals.
Liam Henderson and Tierney both had early efforts for hosts who proceeded to surge ahead as Nir Bitton released Lustig to guide in their opening goal.
Midfielder Henderson then saw a couple of further efforts, although it was Dembele’s low shot beating the recalled Owain fon Williams following James Forrest’s assist immediately prior to the break.
In-form Dembele swiftly despatched his second of the contest into the corner early in the second-half, and soon headed in Forrest’s supply to bring up his individual hat-trick after earlier attempts from Henderson and Bitton
Winger Forrest in turn narrowly missed when stealing possession from an opponent, and Iain Vigurs’ subsequent reply proved wayward; until Forrest delivered again for Tierney to head in a fifth before Brown swiftly took advantage of Scott Sinclair’s approach work down the left in added time.
Celtic: Gordon, Lustig, Boyata (Toure 89), Sviatchenko, Tierney, Bitton, Brown, Forrest, Henderson (McGregor 66), Sinclair, Dembele (Ciftci 82)
subs (unused): Izaguirre, Gamboa, Mackay-Steven, de Vries
Goals: Lustig (20), Dembele (45, 50, 59), Tierney (86), Brown (90)
Inverness CT: Fon Williams, Raven, Warren, McKay, Tremarco, King (Mulraney 54), Tansey, Draper (Cole 64), Vigurs, Anier, Mckay (Ebbe 64)
subs (unused): Polworth, Fisher, Boden, Hoban
Ref: K. Clancy
Att: 25,577
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