Reo Hatate netted a crucial equalizer late in the match, helping Celtic salvage a point as they rallied from a two-goal deficit to finish 2-2 against Rangers in an exhilarating Old Firm encounter at Ibrox.
A stunning goal from Youssef Chermiti gave Rangers an early lead as they intensified their attack, and the forward capitalized on poor defending from Celtic to extend their advantage before the 30-minute mark.
After the break, Celtic made significant improvements, with Kieran Tierney’s goal narrowing the gap, and they dominated the second half of the match.
For a better video player experience, please utilize the Chrome browser. Rangers forward Youssef Chermiti executed a stunning overhead kick reminiscent of Wayne Rooney’s iconic goal for Manchester United.
In the final moments, they received their reward when Daizen Maeda’s header hit Dujon Sterling’s hand, leading to Hatate’s penalty kick, which was initially saved by Jack Butland, but the midfielder managed to push the ball over the line afterward.
Both teams had observed Hearts increase their advantage at the top the previous day and understood that a victory for either was crucial to maintain the pressure on the league frontrunners in a captivating title battle.
The match commenced at its typical high-energy pace, but it was the home team that appeared to find their rhythm more effectively. Nico Raskin compelled Viljami Sinisalo to make an early save before being flagged for offside, indicating the mounting pressure from Rangers.
For a better video player experience, please utilize the Chrome browser. Youssef Chermiti takes advantage of an error by Dane Murray in defense to score his second goal in the Rangers vs Celtic match.
Just eight minutes into the match, they took the initiative with Andreas Skov Olsen delivering a cross into the heart of the box, where Chermiti executed a breathtaking overhead kick, sending the ball past Sinisalo.
The hosts were full of confidence and almost scored again shortly after. Mikey Moore surged forward on the left flank and delivered a cross to the back post, but Chermiti and Skov Olsen worked together to deflect the ball off the outside of the post, resulting in a goal kick.
Celtic attempted to regain control of the match as Daizen Maeda’s cross narrowly missed Junior Adamu, prompting Tierney to force Butland into action with a threatening low delivery into the penalty area.
The Rangers posed a threat each time they entered Celtic’s final third, and they extended their advantage after 26 minutes. Dane Murray struggled to clear Raskin’s lofted pass, allowing the tenacious Chermiti to seize the ball from Julian Araujo’s path, skillfully maneuvering around the defender to slot it past Sinisalo.
Goal: Kieran Tierney of Celtic nets to bring the score to 2-1 against Rangers
Just five minutes before the break, the hosts almost found themselves in an even better position when Moore’s cross was expertly met by the towering Emmanuel Fernandez, but his header went narrowly wide.
At the interval, Martin O’Neill opted for a tactical shift, bringing on Sebastian Tounekti and Hatate to replace Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Junior Adamu, yet it was Rangers who began the second half with greater intensity.
Skov Olsen had a shot that was deflected wide, while Tuur Rommens could have capitalized better after meeting a Moore cross at the far post, but he directed his attempt right at Sinisalo.
For a better video player experience, please utilize the Chrome browser. Kieran Tierney’s impressive header brings Celtic back into contention early in the second half of the Rangers vs Celtic match.
After that moment, Celtic began to establish themselves in the second half, gaining more possession and putting pressure on the home team. Benjamin Nygren had an opportunity but shot high over the goal from the edge of the area, while Hatate forced Butland into a solid save from long range.
"We mentioned that a score of 2-0 is always challenging since the opponent only needs a single moment to make a comeback. During the second half, we lacked precision in our possession, allowing them too many opportunities to regain the ball.
"At half-time, we expressed our desire to maintain the momentum we had, but there were instances when we faltered and lost possession. They gained confidence after the 2-1 scoreline and had nothing to lose. We feel quite let down today, but we must regroup and prepare for next week."
Rangers’ head coach Danny Rohl discusses his team’s 2-2 stalemate against Celtic, despite having a two-goal advantage at the break, and encourages the use of the Chrome browser for a better video viewing experience.
"It was evident to me that we needed to secure the 3-0. We had opportunities to achieve this, but ultimately they had nothing to lose and managed to score the 2-1. We fought until the very end for that point, and then it was fortunate for them to receive the penalty so late in the game."
Rangers’ manager Danny Rohl discussed the VAR and penalty situation during an interview with Sky Sports:
"Perhaps, perhaps not, but I believe it’s not truly my responsibility.
"What truly matters is that each week you make sound decisions, and while today and last week didn’t go our way, that’s just the nature of football."