Velicka's double puts out Celtic

GLASGOW, Scotland -- Hearts' Lithuanian striker Andrius Velicka scored twice in the last 12 minutes to give the Edinburgh side a 2-0 away win over Celtic and a place in the semifinals of the Scottish League Cup.

The outcome left Celtic manager Gordan Strachan baffled. "I thought we did enough to win any football match and I can't believe we're out," he said.

Hearts, thrashed 5-0 in the league on their previous visit to Celtic Park this season, brought on Velicka as a 73rd minute sub for Calum Elliott and the switch quickly paid dividends.

The Lithuanian converted a 78th minute low cross from Andy Driver, but video replays showed that the ball had gone out for what should have been a throw-in before Driver put over the center.

As Celtic pressed for a leveler Hearts burst away and Velicka netted from 20 meters with three minutes to go.

Strachan said: "I'm hugely disappointed with the result and I just didn't see it coming. I thought if we kept playing the way we were then we would win the match," he said.

"Hearts had very few clear-cut chances while we had plenty of good opportunities to score but we didn't finish them off.

"But the players can hold their heads up high. Aiden McGeady was phenomenal, Paul Hartley was excellent, Scott Brown was looking good and Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink and Scott McDonald were working hard but it just wasn't to be."

Hearts' reward will be a game against Dundee United, while Rangers face Aberdeen.

Rangers overcame Motherwell 2-1 to book their semifinal spot. Nacho Novo opened the scoring for Rangers in the 22nd minute and Kris Boyd scored from Novo's pass in the 54th minute.

Paul Quinn scored Motherwell's goals a minute from time.

Aberdeen's Barry Nicholson scored a hat-trick in a 4-1 defeat of Inverness Caledonian Thistle. Two of Nicholson's goals came from the penalty spot.

Dundee United's Noel Hunt also bagged a treble in a 3-1 win over second division Hamilton.

The semifinals will be played on January 29 and 30, at venues to be announced. The draw was made by Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond at the Scottish Parliament. E-mail to a friend