In a thrilling Old Firm encounter at Ibrox, Reo Hatate netted a crucial equalizer, helping Celtic come back from a two-goal deficit to secure a 2-2 draw against Rangers.
A stunning goal from Youssef Chermiti gave Rangers an early lead as they intensified their attack, and the forward capitalized on some careless defending from Celtic to extend their advantage before the 30-minute mark.
After the break, Celtic significantly improved, 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. Hatate’s penalty and subsequent attempt were initially stopped by Jack Butland, but the midfielder eventually managed to push the ball into the goal.
Both teams had observed Hearts increase their advantage at the top the previous day and understood that securing a victory was crucial for either side to maintain the pressure on the league frontrunners in an exciting title contest.
The match commenced at its typical intense 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 increasing pressure from Rangers.
For a better video player experience, please utilize the Chrome browser. Youssef Chermiti takes advantage of an error by Dane Murray at the back, scoring 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 remarkable overhead kick to send the ball soaring past Sinisalo.
The hosts were brimming with confidence and almost scored again shortly after. Mikey Moore surged down the left flank, delivering 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 slipped past Junior Adamu, leading to Tierney forcing Butland into action with a threatening low delivery into the penalty area.
The Rangers posed a threat each time they entered Celtic’s attacking zone, 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 reach, 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 just wide of the target.
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 more 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 the match early in the second half against Rangers.
After the break, Celtic began to establish themselves more effectively, enjoying greater possession and putting pressure on the home side. Benjamin Nygren had an opportunity but shot high over the bar from the edge of the area, while Hatate forced Butland to make a solid save from long range.
"We mentioned that a score of 2-0 is always challenging since the opponent only needs one moment to make a comeback. In 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 built, but there were instances where we faltered and lost possession. They gained confidence with the 2-1 scoreline and had nothing to lose. We feel quite let down today, but we must regroup and prepare for next week."
We recommend using the Chrome browser for an enhanced video player experience. Rangers’ head coach Danny Rohl discusses his team’s 2-2 draw against Celtic, despite having a two-goal advantage at halftime.
"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 end for that point, and it was fortunate for them to receive the penalty so late in the game."
Rangers’ manager Danny Rohl discussed the VAR and penalty situation on Sky Sports:
"Perhaps, perhaps not; I believe it’s not truly my responsibility.
"What truly matters is that each week you make sound choices, and while today and the previous week didn’t go our way, that’s just part of football."
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