Scottish League Cup: Falkirk booked their place in the semi-finals of the Scottish League Cup after a dramatic penalty shoot-out against Celtic at Parkhead. Substitute Maciej Zurawski's header gave Celtic a 99th-minute lead which was cancelled out by Anthony Stokes' volley.Evander Sno blasted wide in sudden death after Jack Ross had scored Falkirk's seventh penalty.
Zurawski, who had replaced Derek Riordan two minutes before the end of normal time, headed the home side into a dramatic lead after Vennegoor of Hesselink's angled drive was parried by Lambers.
However, within a minute the visitors were level when Alan Gow's shot spun up into the air and in-form Stokes volleyed past Boruc from 16 yards out to take the match to penalties.
Gordon Strachan's decision to rest the likes of Neil Lennon, Shunsuke Nakamura and Stephen McManus was undoubtedly offset by the return from injury of two key players, Thomas Gravesen and Hesselink.
Celtic may not have taken this competition seriously but the same cannot be said of Falkirk, who clearly felt relaxed in the subdued atmosphere during the game's opening exchanges and were the better side over 90 minutes.
The highlights of a tepid first half were a 12-yard Shaun Maloney drive, kicked off the Falkirk goalline by Darren Barr, and a free-kick from Riordan which almost looped over Jerome Lambers in the visiting goal.
After the energy-sapping euphoria of Saturday's 94th-minute winner over Hearts, perhaps such a low-key opening from Celtic was understandable.
The Sunderland manager, Roy Keane, returned here for the first time since retiring as a player at the end of last season and the home side could certainly have done with the Irishman's drive into the second half.
A glorious one-two with Russell Latapy on the edge of the Celtic penalty area allowed Alan Gow to round Artur Boruc on the hour mark, with only Gary Caldwell's goal-line clearance keeping the scores level. Falkirk's Stephen O'Donnell had the ball in the net moments later, only for the strike to be adjudged offside.
CELTIC: Boruc, Telfer, Caldwell, Balde, Naylor, Maloney (Miller 75), Gravesen (Sno 80), Pearson, McGeady, Riordan (Zurawski 89), Vennegoor of Hesselink. Subs not used: Marshall, O'Brien. Goal: Zurawski 99.
FALKIRK: Lambers, Ross, Barr, Milne, Scobbie (Dodd 97), Cregg, Thomson (Lima 119), O'Donnell, Latapy (Craig 90), Stokes, Gow. Subs not used: Higgins, McManus. Booked: O'Donnell. Goal: Stokes 100.
Referee: C Richmond (Scotland)
