Auston Trusty has reflected on the moment when he was told he was taking a penalty shootout at Ibrox.
After Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain had got Celtic off to the perfect start in the shootout, few expected the big centre half to step up next.
But he didn’t just step up. Trusty calmly sidefooted it into the corner with the composure of a striker, helping Martin O’Neill’s side progress to the semi-finals.
But how did he feel about taking the spotkick? He has reflected on the moment he outdid Jack Butland.
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Auston Trusty says he was ‘very happy’ to take Celtic penalty at Ibrox
Looking back on the shootout, Trusty said: “I’d like to get the job done way before that.
“It was a very, very long game and an intense game. I was told I was going number two spot, and I was like, okay!
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“I think a lot of players could probably shy away from that! But the only way forward is to take a step forward.
“So I went to number two spot, picked where I was going to go way beforehand, and then just committed to it.
“They know that I like taking pens. It’s just, in a real game, I’m the last one there. So that’s a long run for me. Whoever gets the ball first usually takes it.
“And then on top of that, usually centre backs, defenders, are usually the last ones to take the pens. So taking number two spot, I was actually pretty happy that they actually believed in me.
“I think every shootout we’ve been in, I’ve been like five or six, or just close enough to not take a pen. So I’ve actually never had the opportunity to take one. So actually, I was really happy.
I think regardless whether it’s this competition or whatever competition, if it’s a trophy to win for this organisation, you want to do it, and that’s the mindset.
“We want to win every competition and obviously to lose that trophy, it definitely hurts us. But it’s a chance to prove to everybody that we can do it.”
Celtic will be hoping to beat St Mirren at Hampden without the need for a shootout. But if the worst happens, they know they can rely on the big American.
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Celtic’s penalty takers
Celtic have mixed it up with penalty takers this season. Arne Engels, just back from injury, scored his last spot-kick in a 4-2 home win over Utrecht.
However, the Belgian missed one against Roma under Wilfried Nancy. Kelechi Iheanacho scored two earlier in the season.
Reo Hatate missed at Ibrox in the league, but was lucky enough to see the ball parried in his direction for a tap-in by Butland.
Callum McGregor, Jota and James Forrest have all previously been penalty takers at Celtic.
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