Key events
The match report’s just dropped so I’ll call it a day. That was plenty of fun – what an occasion for the Rangers portion of the crowd as visiting supporters returned to the Old Firm derby.
Missed it at the time but it seems Vaclav Cerny caused some bother with his celebrations from the bench after Rangers’ winner, appearing to spray a water bottle in the direction of Celtic’s supporters.
Barry Ferguson has his say:
What’s the big word everybody’s thrown against this team? Character, that they start feeling sorry for their self. Well, there was a prime example that they don’t feel sorry for their selves. They’re starting to listen.
Celtic had 71% possession, with 14 shots to Rangers’ 10. James Tavernier says it’s been “a good week for the club”, which is a bit of an understatement. “It’s amazing to make the stadium a bit calmer,” says Nicolas Raskin on his goal. Music blares out from the Rangers dressing room.
It doesn’t really change anything in the table. But, of course, it still matters a great deal.
That was a truly sparkling derby. Rangers had the first half but Celtic came back and it was, surely, going to be their victory after Hatate’s leveller. But Hamza Igamane has the love of the visiting support, red flares going in their corner of the ground, a reward for his punishing winner. Barry Ferguson is a very happy man.
FULL-TIME: Celtic 2-3 Rangers
The title will be Celtic’s. But Rangers get the day and week.
90+5 min: Johnston hits high from close range! It’s a curled cross in from the left that finds him at the far post, ready to equalise, but he can’t get on top of the bounce to find the net.
90+4 min: It’s all a bit of a scrap again, with Celtic unable to force through any moves.
90+3 min: The Rangers fans, around 2,400 of them, are making the noise.
90+2 min: We have five minutes of added time.
Igamane takes hold of the ball outside the D after a long punt forward. Celtic shirts rush towards him but he somehow keeps the ball as he shifts on to his right, it bouncing nicely for him before he lashes high into the net from inside the area. Barry Ferguson takes hold of a ball by the touchline and kisses it, disbelief circling Celtic Park.
GOAL! Celtic 2-3 Rangers (Igamane 88)
Against the run of play, from the substitute. Some game, this.
87 min: Celtic work it around before Hatate gets a hold outside the D, shimmies and shifts on to his right to launch a testing strike … just wide of the post. He’s been very classy in this half.
85 min: Tom Lawrence thunders into Maeda, prompting another break in play.
83 min: Maeda’s cross from the left finds Johnston but he can’t keep it under control.
82 min: Rangers slow the game down with three changes: Cerny, Sterling and Barron off for Igamane, Nsiala and Lawrence.
79 min: Rangers breakaway from the corner … and have two chances that are wasted. First it’s Dessers, slid in by Cerny, but taking a poor first touch that leads to a blocked shot. Then there’s a chance for Barron inside the area, his effort going wide.
78 min: Celtic roar forward as Schlupp forces Butland into a fine save with a hit from outside the area. Corner.
It’s a terrific run from midfield into the area from Hatate, the smart ball slid in from his midfield partner McCowan. The first-time shot goes across goal into the bottom left corner, Celtic now sensing a comeback victory.
GOAL! Celtic 2-2 Rangers (Hatate 74)
A calm, composed equaliser in a wild, wild game.
72 min: Tavernier launches a long throw before Ridvan winds up for a hit from outside the area; he doesn’t get the required connection as Celtic breakaway.
70 min: Jota is replaced by Yang with 20 minutes of normal time to go. Cerny finds the ball in the right channel but can’t find power on a cross to Dessers.
68 min: It’s all a bit scrappy, players sliding around, passes not really going anywhere. Derby stuff.
65 min: Rangers make a change, with Diomande off for Hagi.
64 min: Maeda somehow get through a wall of blue shirts to find McCowan in the area, the low left-footed shot dragged just wide of the post.
62 min: Nearly a howler as Carter-Vickers doesn’t get a foot down on a pass back to him, with Dessers trying to hop on to the ball, just Schmeichel to beat if he gets there. He doesn’t and Celtic play away to safety.
60 min: Rangers win a free-kick just outside their area as Engels gets stuck taking too many touches.
58 min: Celtic, as they did in the first half, are trying to move past Rangers using the right channel. Ridvan, pressing high, gets in the way of a pass to prompt a throw.
56 min: A change for Rangers, as Balogun, presumably struggling with something, is replaced by Robin Pröpper at the back.
55 min: Raskin heads away the corner but the ball drops nicely for Hatate, waiting in the area past the far post. His volley finds the side-netting.
54 min: Ferguson provides some advice to Tavernier before McCowan plays a delightful ball into the area, hoping to find the run of Maeda. A Celtic corner is the end result.
51 min: Celtic were beginning to click together near the end of the first half; the waves of attack should come regularly now.
Butland’s kick out from the back finds Hatate as Celtic work the ball nicely out to the right-hand side … the cross from Jota is held up towards the far post where Maeda leaps high to head in from close range.
GOAL! Celtic 1-2 Rangers (Maeda 49)
Game on!
46 min: Celtic kick things off and knock it around at the back, but there are a couple of sloppy passes that find blue shirts.
Celtic have made a change in attack, with Idah on for Kühn. Off we go for the second half.
Just watching back that second goal … it’s a top run from Raskin into the area to attract the attention of Celtic’s defence, freeing up Diomande in the middle. The awareness of the Belgian, with that deft flick, is superb too.
HALF-TIME: Celtic 0-2 Rangers
A genuinely thrilling half of football. Rangers are well positioned for the upset; Celtic have been off it, only finding some rhythm after that second goal.
45+1 min: Two minutes are added on as Jota cuts in from the left and launches a dipping hit from around 25 yards, the ball travelling just wide. He’s been causing some bother in the last few minutes.
43 min: What a block from Sterling! Jota whips in from the left, Maeda gets a glancing header on it and Sterling, facing his own goal, somehow diverts the ball away for a corner. Butland then saves after a header from the set-piece. Celtic are finally clicking into gear.
42 min: … and out comes a yellow for Barry Ferguson, for reasons not entirely clear to me. Jota bursts into life on the left, driving into the area before getting a shot away, a corner the end result.
41 min: Barry Ferguson is loving life on the touchline.
Tavernier dinks in a ball from the right into the area … Raskin runs in to glance a header into the middle, where Diomande takes it down before finding the bottom left corner. It’s a wonderful goal and, I have to say, well deserved, too.
