Ambrose, Onazi win Scottish, Italian cups

MAY 27, 2013 BY PIUS AYINOR WITH AGENCY REPORT A classy double from Gary Hooper helped Celtic beat Hibernian 3-0 to lift the Scottish Cup for the 36th time at Hampden Park on Sunday. It was also a classy Scottish double for Nigeria’s Efe Ambrose and his club having won the league earlier on. The success on Sunday completes the trophy run for the Nigerian who was part of the Super Eagles winning team at the 2013 Africa Nations Cup concluded in South Africa in February. The UEFA Champions League, which started on a good run for the Scottish champions, ended with a heavy defeat to Juventus but before then Ambrose had established himself as a regular with Celtic and the Eagles. He was allowed to stay back with his club on account of the cup final and he is now expected to link up with the Eagles as they prepare for the FIFA Confederations Cup and Brazil 2014 World Cup qualifiers. On Sunday, he started from the bench and was brought on as a substitute for Scott Brown in 81st minute. For the cup final, Hooper broke the deadlock after just eight minutes with his 30th goal of the season and he doubled his side’s advantage just after the half hour with another smart finish from close range. Joe Ledley rounded off the scoring towards the end of the second half. The loss means Hibs’ wait for a first Scottish Cup triumph since 1902 continues. It was their 11th final defeat. Also on Sunday, Ogenyi Onazi won the Italian Cup with Lazio. Lazio won the Cup for the sixth time on Sunday beating fierce rivals AS Roma 1-0 in a day of high tension at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome. Senad Lulic tapped home the winning goal from close range in the 70th minute after Roma goalkeeper Bogdan Lobont tipped Antonio Candreva’s cross into his path. The victory means Lazio will qualify for the Europa League, salvaging an otherwise disappointing season and rubbing further salt into the wounds of their old foes, who miss out on European football despite finishing sixth one place clear of the Biancocelesti. “I am really happy for the players who worked so hard this year and deserved the victory. It’s not easy to win a game like this. We now have Europe ahead of us,” Lazio manager Vladimir Petkovic told RAI Sport. The defeat for Roma makes their manager Andrea Andreazzoli’s position at the club precarious with speculation in the lead up to the match suggesting AC Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri could be a favourite to take his place.