2023-01-02: TheRangers 2-2 Celtic, SP

Match Pictures | Matches: 2022 – 2023

Trivia

  • KO: 12:30; Monday; Sky Sports
  • Annual New Year’s Day Glasgow Derby match (there abouts!). Ne’er Day (New Year’s Day) Derby
  • Celtic 9pts in front and 20+GD, but Sevco now have only two games v Celtic left in the season, so they now need others to take pts from Celtic.
  • Haksa, McCarthy out injured. Turnbull out suspended. Johnston debut!
  • Taylor goes off injured, Maeda and Kyogo score their first goals v Sevco. Postecoglu claims a bug going aroudn the club to explain some of the player starting the match. “Jura has come back from the World Cup and not 100% fit (missed 3rd place World Cup play off game) and Jamesie starting for a number of reasons including a bit of a bug going around the club“
  • A metal object was thrown at Greg Taylor and a member of the Celtic physio team. Celtic fans located in the corner of the Broomloan Stand and Govan Stand were subject to missiles being thrown at them – including bottles.
  • One newspaper headline claims: “Stash of ‘potentially dangerous’ items found by police inside Ibrox stadium before clash v Celtic”
  • VAR: First game ever between the two teams with VAR in force. Two controversial decisions: (1) Sevco penalty given but many argue shouldn’t have been given with VAR, (2) A handball by Sevco’s Goldson was not penalised with most agreeing it was a penalty! 20 games gone, Sevco  the only team yet to concede a penalty. It is very curious.
  • Post-match: Postecoglu blasts VAR – “…when I look at the introduction of VAR and the decisions that have gone against us, there is zero chance that’s going to even up between now and the end of the year, because it’s remarkable we have had at least three major decisions go against us.” (see article end of page)
  • Celtic received an allocation of 708 tickets for this match.
  • Prior to kick-off, a minute’s silence to remember the victims of the Ibrox Disaster. RIP
  • Celtic B side run out 5-2 winners in the B team Glasgow Derby v Sevco B side.
  • Ex-Celt Frank McGarvey passed away, RIP
  • Brazil: Pelé, regarded as one of the GOAT players, has passed away. Possibly the most influential ever. RIP
  • Former Pope Benedict, who stepped down as leader of the Catholic Church in 2013 in a highly unusual move, dies aged 95.
  • Transfer window opened:
    • Report: Celtic have made a bid for Busan IPark midfielder Kwon Hyeok-kyu, considered one of the brightest prospects in Korea. Other report claims Celtic have made an official £1.8m bid for Korean striker Oh Hyun-kyu & NOT Cho Gue-sung.
    • Bayern Munich reported to be looking to poach Celtic youth player Rocco Vata.
    • Report: Celtic among the clubs interested in Switzerland midfielder Ardon Jashari.

Summary

‘If you lose you feel like you are going to die’
What Sevco suffering feels like against Celtic, according to their captain James Tavernier

Sevco manager Beale before the game: “The difference is nine points but we’ve only played each other once and they won that game, deservedly. So the difference should be three points, shouldn’t it? It should. So we are six points behind against the other teams in the league, the other 10 that we play. That is the disappointing thing. If it just came down to Old Firms [sic!] it would be more interesting, but you have to beat everybody else. That’s the key message. ”

Sevco manager Beale before the game: “I have no fear about playing this game, only excitement. It is the derby of all derbies.”

“Whether you are nine points ahead, nine points behind, what does it matter? The next game is a massive game, it’s a showcase game.”
Ange Postecoglou before the match

Ange after the match: “There is no lost cause for them or any time that we resign ourselves to our fate. It would have been easy today at 2-1 down, with the crowd up and them up and going to say it’s not our day, but the lads again found a way.”

“Shut yer hole Fat Boy!”
“Take it home Fat Boy!”
An injured Greg Taylor to Sevco’s Morelos

“It’s a penalty in my mind. Before we even started introducing VAR. It’s always been a penalty. To be honest there was only two saves made in the game, one by Joe (Hart) and one by Connor (Goldson).”
Ange Postecoglou post-match

JBCity of TheCelticWiki: This match has been a dreadful advert for Scottish football but also VAR. Two big penalty calls & got them both wrong. Not a great Celtic performance but still able to take a draw away which is on paper all that was needed, albeit admittedly Celtic were favourites to win this match comfortably.
For first 20mins Celtic were on top, with a great goal by Maeda provided by an accidental ‘assist’ (botch up) by ‘fat boy’ Morelos! But after a bizarre botch up by Hart (which Celtic recovered without conceding a goal), Sevco pulled the finger out. After Taylor went off the pitch, Celtic seemed to struggle which was a surprise (as he’s a full back & not strictly a play making central player).
Sevco wasted a few chances to go in front (Morelos squandering two headers but also Hart had a good save from Ryan Kent). The second half started with Celtic asleep firstly losing admittedly a good goal by Kent, but then conceding a penalty which many argue shouldn’t have been given. It looked ominous as the match progressed with neither side showing any quality in making further goalscoring opportunities, but Celtic were saved at the death with a very late goal by Kyogo (his first goal v Sevco). Albeit Kyogo messed up a golden chance to have put Celtic two up at one time in the first half.
Postecoglu was poor with timing of substitutes today with some players like O’Reilly and Kyogo having a poor game, changes were needed. Jota & Mooy to a lesser extent helped to turn the game. Juranovic & Forrest were poor & out of sorts too, albeit an unprepared Juranovic was played on the wrong wing & was his first game back after the World Cup. Still, Celtic stay on top, and league title is within touching distance now.

Former Celtic player Chris Sutton: Celtic got away with that. CCV was immense. Too many players way off it. Mooy excellent when he came on. Juranovic would have struggled to impresss any watching scouts… would Willie Collum in the VAR hut have awarded a penalty had a Celtic player handled the ball like Goldson??

Former Rangers player Barry Ferguson: “Connor Goldon’s hands were in an unnatural position and I thought it was a penalty and I thought rangers got away with one there.” 

@AgentScotland: Really enjoyable game, quite a clean contest as well, a draw probably the fair result in the end, Cameron Carter Vickers was the stand-out player on that pitch, an absolute colossus, Celtic not awarded a penalty for Goldson’s first handball is unjustifiable. Loved Kyogo’s reaction after scoring, on the back foot most of the second half, you’d think after the way the game had developed they’d take the late point but he grabs the ball to restart quickly because he wants to win it, winners mentality.

ETims: we played below par. Aye, Ange subs etc should have been better but…if you offered me being 9 points ahead after going to Ibrox at the start of January I’d have snapped yir hawn aff! We are in a very strong position. Johnston was really good today, especially considering it was his debut and he hasn’t played for a few weeks

Don Vito of kds: After having a wee walk to myself to gather my thoughts I’ve come to the following conclusions.
Sevco penalty is not a penalty and this is my reasoning. Starfelt did not trip sakala. Sakala stood on starfelt foot. Starfelts foot was on the ground. If the same situation had taken place and it had been Joe Hart sliding and sakala stood on Joe harts hand would it be a penalty? No of course not. If stsrfelt had been injured by sakala standing on him would sakala have been booked? If after today referees are saying that a defender slides past a forward and the forward stands on him then the forward gets a foul? Utter nonsense. So today it’s not a penalty to sevco.
The goldshun handball save? Ive got to say that it looks like he handled it and his hands are above his head but I’ve not seen a totally conclusive picture. I know that if it had been one of our defenders it wouid be a penalty.
In the pre match thread I said my worry was how the ref would manage the game in regard to the small decisions.
I think Beaton got the small decisions right but he avoided the big decisions and let Gollum cheat for him. For all we were fairly crap, VAR stole the points from us. Edit: I’ve now seen goldsons save, 100% penalty. And absolute cheating by gollum. I think even in pre var days the ref would be getting called out for “missing” the handball.

Twitter:

@bp: A bit of a shapeless, sloppy performance but ultimately a better point for us given the starting positions and the way the game went. Delighted for Kyogo especially given some of the moronic comments from a few fannies in our support.

@CU: Penalty rangers. No need to check VAR. No penalty celtic. No need to check VAR.

@Stephen4_2 · 1h A few observations from today.
1. Playing Forrest was strange.
2. Juranovic was appalling. Head is gone.
3. Johnston played well.
4. Their penalty was soft.
5. Goldson handball was penalty not even VAR.
6. Jota the man for equaliser.
7. If Taylor stays on Celtic would have won.

@CelticNation67 · Bottom line is this… Starfelt gets himself into a good boxing position!! The Sevco player then initiates contact by standing on Starfelts foot/ankle! There is absolutely no way that it was a penalty and to award it via VAR is another example of blatant cheating!

@collectCelticfc: Scottish Var. Sevco player stands on Celtic player, Penalty Rangers. Sevcoplayer uses 2 hands to block shot – Not a Penalty against Rangers. Celtic are now up against Huns, Refs and Var.

@bobby__peru: I think one of the most impressive things about our equaliser is that it came after our most creative player in Morelos had been substituted. (tongue in cheek)

Teams

Celtic

Formation 4-3-3

  • 1 Hart
  • 2 Johnston
  • 20 Carter-Vickers
  • 4 Starfelt Booked at 90mins
  • 3 Taylor Substituted for Juranovic at 21′minutes
  • 42 McGregor
  • 33 O’Riley Substituted for Mooy at 61′minutes
  • 41 Hatate Substituted for Giakoumakis at 77′minutes
  • 49 Forrest Substituted for Abada at 61′minutes
  • 8 Furuhashi
  • 38 Maeda Substituted for Neves Filipe at 77′minutes

Substitutes

  • 7 Giakoumakis
  • 11 Abada
  • 13 Mooy
  • 17 Neves Filipe
  • 18 Kobayashi
  • 25 Bernabei
  • 28 Abildgaard
  • 29 Bain
  • 88 Juranovic

Goals:

  • Maeda (5′ minutes), 
  • Furuhashi (88′ minutes)

Sevco

Formation 4-2-3-1

  • 1McGregor
  • 2Tavernier
  • 6Goldson
  • 26Davies
  • 31Barisic
  • 18Kamara
  • 4Lundstram Substituted for Jack at 71′minutes Booked at 90mins
  • 30Sakala
  • 71Tillman Substituted for Sands at 85′minutes
  • 14Kent
  • 20Morelos Substituted for Wright at 80′minutes

Substitutes

  • 8Jack
  • 9Colak
  • 19Sands
  • 23Wright
  • 25Roofe
  • 33McLaughlin
  • 37Arfield
  • 38King
  • 44Devine

Goals:

  • Kent (47′ minutes), 
  • Tavernier (53′ minutes pen)

Assists:

  • Sakala (47′ minutes)
Referee: John Beaton
Attendance: 50,066

Articles

  • Match Report (see below)

Pictures

Match Links

Stats

Rangers
Celtic
Possession
Home40%
Away60%
Shots
Home15
Away8
Shots on Target
Home5
Away2
Corners
Home5
Away4
Fouls
Home11
Away13

Articles

Kyogo strikes late at Ibrox as honours even in Glasgow derby

https://www.celticfc.com/news/2023/january/02/kyogo-strikes-late-at-ibrox-as-honours-even-in-glasgow-derby-/

By Ryan Maher

Scottish Premiership
Monday, January 2, 2023
Ibrox Stadium, Glasgow

RANGERS… 2
(Kent 47, Tavernier 53pen)

CELTIC… 2
(Maeda 5, Kyogo 88)

Celtic left it late to secure a point in the first game of 2023 as the Hoops drew 2-2 with Rangers in the Glasgow derby at Ibrox.

A goal inside the opening five minutes from Daizen Maeda gave Celtic the perfect start. However, two quick goals at the start of the second period from Ryan Kent and James Tavernier turned the game in the hosts’ favour.

But Ange Postecoglou’s side kept battling and grabbed an equaliser with just two minutes remaining through Kyogo, which maintains the nine-point lead at the top of the Premiership table.

These derby games so often begin at a rapid pace and under the stewardship of Ange Postecoglou the stats prove that point for Celtic, with all but one of their goals in this fixture in the last 18 months coming in the first-half of matches, a feat they continued at Ibrox with Maeda scoring after five minutes.

Picking up a misplaced pass from Alfredo Morleos, Maeda showed every inch of his electric pace, reaching the loose ball first before skipping past two Rangers defenders and then having the coolness to slot under the advancing Allan McGregor and into the bottom right corner for his sixth goal of the season.

The small section of Celtic fans were the ones making all the noise inside Ibrox at this early point in the match, and they almost had another reason to celebrate with Maeda putting in a dangerous ball across the six-yard box on eight minutes, but no one was there in a Celtic jersey to tap home.

The opening stages were controlled by Celtic and Callum McGregor almost doubled the lead on 14 minutes, forcing the Rangers keeper to dive down low to his right to stop the skipper’s shot from 20 yards creeping into the bottom corner.

New Bhoy Alistair Johnston was in from the start at right-back for his first appearance in a Hoops jersey, with Josip Juranovic a substitute, but the World Cup bronze medallist would be the first called from the bench in the opening 25 minutes with Greg Taylor forced off through injury, slotting in at left-back.

Despite Celtic’s dominance, the hosts almost equalised on 27 minutes. Joe Hart gave away possession inside the penalty area but then pulled off a remarkable save from Ryan Kent’s low effort on the 18-yard line, tipping the ball away from the bottom right corner and on to the post before Carl Starfelt blocked Fashion Sakala’s follow-up.

There were half-chances just before the break for Morleos, both from corners and both with his head, but as the whistle blew for the break, it was Celtic with the lead.

Celtic’s one-goal advantage wouldn’t last long in the second period as Kent equalised for Rangers on 47 minutes, receiving the ball on the left of the box and cutting in on his right foot before curling the ball into the far corner.

It was an opening seven minutes to forget for Celtic as on 52 minutes Carl Starfelt conceded a soft penalty after a challenge with Sakala to give Tavernier the chance to step up and score a minute later, firing high into the top left corner.

The Celtic manager turned to the bench to try and unpick the Rangers defence again, with Aaron Mooy and Liel Abada brought on at the hour mark. And it was Mooy’s corner four minutes later that almost brought a chance for Celtic as VAR had a check for what looked to be a clear handball from Connor Goldson, but nothing was given.

There was another check for a penalty for Celtic for handball on 70 minutes but again the referees ruled there was no offence caused and, therefore, no penalty.

But this Celtic team always seem to find a way and with two minutes remaining the Hoops deservedly equalised through Kyogo.

Substitute Jota was excellent in picking out Mooy inside the box and then taking the return before knocking the ball across goal whenre it fell perfectly to Kyogo eight yards out, and he smashed the ball into the roof of the net for his fourth goal in four games.

Despite both teams searching for a winner in the seven minutes of stoppage time, it finished all-square, a result which keeps the Hoops nine clear after 20 games of this campaign.

Rangers: McGregor, Tavernier, Goldson, Davies, Barisic, Kent, Kamara, Lundstram (Jack 71′), Sakala, Tillman (Sands 85′), Morelos (Scott Wright 80′)

Subs: Devine, Roofe, King, Arfield, Scott Wright, McLaughlin, Colak, Jack, Sands

Michael Beale explains why Rangers should only be three points behind Celtic

There is no chance of Rangers looking beyond their hosting of Motherwell and towards their derby clash at Ibrox that follows it, according to Michael Beale.
Andrew Smith
By Andrew Smith

https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/rangers/michael-beale-explains-why-rangers-should-only-be-three-points-behind-celtic-3967127

Not when he sees the games against the teams beyond Celtic as accounting for his club being unable to put the Scottish champions under real pressure in the title race, the gap between the bitter rivals a full nine points. Beale has no quibble with the “deserved” 4-0 victory by Ange Postecoglou’s men in the only cinch Premiership meeting this campaign of the country’s footballing powerhouses, and the advantage accrued from it. What bothers him are results beyond that September afternoon. Overall, Celtic have won 16 and lost one of their other top flight encounters. And Beale believes Rangers functioning as they should be capable ought to have been able to match that return. Instead of recording one defeat and three draws in failing to win four of their 17 such encounters.

“The difference is nine points but we’ve only played each other once and they won that game, deservedly. So the difference should be three points, shouldn’t it? It should,” said the Rangers manager. “So we are six points behind against the other teams in the league, the other 10 that we play. That is the disappointing thing. If it just came down to Old Firms it would be more interesting, but you have to beat everybody else. That’s the key message.

“If the problem had been that we had only dropped points in that one game we would have a chance, on the second of January, to even it up. As it stands that ain’t going to be enough. We have to win all the other games. Unless we can go on a run of winning in big batches of games it is very hard to get to where we want to get in Scotland, full stop. It is very much us or Celtic every season when it starts, so you have to beat everybody else and do well in the Old Firms. So, for me both our games this week are only worth three points. And the three points tomorrow against Motherwell are the most important three points.”

Beale has taken the first, at times, faltering steps towards rehabilitating Rangers by stringing together three straight wins by a single-goal margin. Under predecessor Giovanni van Bronckhorst, the Ibrox men’s longest league winning run this season was four games. The Englishman has the chance to match that at Ibrox on Wednesday.

‘If you could guarantee it [a convincing win] I would take it but I just want three points,” he said. “I’d like to have more control at certain times, be a little bit stronger in our positioning and stronger in the duels all over the pitch and I think things in the final third will click. We have been missing Antonio [Colak], Kemar [Roofe], Ianis [Hagi], and [Tom] Lawrence and some of those players have been missing for a long time. The club has invested a lot in those four players and they are really key to us in the final third. I’d like to see a time where I have a problem leaving one of them out or trying to get those four players into the team. I think it will make a difference. ”

Celtic fans sing ‘we shall not be moved’ as late Kyogo leveller keeps Rangers at bay after fine revival

https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/rangers/celtic-fans-sing-we-shall-not-be-moved-as-late-kyogo-leveller-keeps-rangers-at-bay-after-fine-revival-3971569

An equaliser from Kyogo Furuhashi with two minutes of regulation time to play might well prove to have been a decisive intervention in this season’s title race as Celtic drew 2-2 with Rangers in the New Year derby.
Alan Pattullo
By Alan Pattullo
3 hours ago
Updated 3 hours ago

The Celtic striker had done precious little before slotting home his first goal against Rangers after the ball broke to him in the box to make it 2-2 at Ibrox.

Celtic’s lead at the top has been maintained at nine points. “We shall not be moved,” rang joyously from the corner where 700 Celtic fans were housed.

Rangers had worked hard to overturn a lead they had presented on a plate to Celtic after only five minutes. A terrible cross-field pass from Alfredo Morelos was compounded by James Tavernier’s weak challenge on Daizen Maeda and the forward sprinted through to shoot past Allan McGregor.
Celtic’s Kyogo Furuhashi runs to grab the ball after scoring his team’s late equaliser at Ibrox.
Celtic’s Kyogo Furuhashi runs to grab the ball after scoring his team’s late equaliser at Ibrox.

The home team looked shaken for a spell, but they recovered to the extent they were unlucky to still be trailing at half time.

They continued this improvement in the second half and took the game to Celtic. Sakala Junior was the catalyst, setting up Ryan Kent for a trademark curled finish two minutes after the re-start. He then won the penalty after Carl Starfelt whipped his leg away near the byline. Tavernier shot high past Joe Hart.

But the three points Rangers yearned for was reduced to a scarcely helpful one in the blink of an eye when Kyogo pounced after 88 minutes.

Late Furuhashi goal earns Celtic 2-2 draw at Rangers

02 Jan 2023 10:55PM (Updated: 02 Jan 2023 11:54PM)
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/sport/late-furuhashi-goal-earns-celtic-2-2-draw-rangers-3178971

Rangers missed a gilt-edged opportunity to cut Celtic’s lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership down to six points after Kyogo Furuhashi hammered home a late equaliser to secure a 2-2 draw in the Old Firm derby at Ibrox on Monday.

Celtic got off to a flying start after Japanese forward Daizen Maeda pounced on an errant pass by Alfredo Morelos and slotted his shot past Allan McGregor in the fifth minute.
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Rangers created a few decent chances in the first half, but their pressure would only tell after the break, as the home side turned the game around with two quickfire goals.

Ryan Kent levelled in the 47th minute with a curling effort into the far corner of the net, past the outstretched arms of Joe Hart.

Fashion Sakala was then brought down in the Celtic penalty area minutes later, with Rangers captain James Tavernier emphatically converting the subsequent spot-kick to put Rangers ahead in the 53rd minute.

However, Rangers’ were denied victory over their fierce rivals when Japan’s Furuhashi fired the ball through a mass of defenders in the 88th minute to salvage a point for the champions.

“A good point considering the performance levels after the first 25 minutes,” Celtic captain Callum McGregor told Sky Sports.
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“We started really well, got the goal and you could see the atmosphere in the place, we were dominating the game. But then we let them back into the game. When you do that against a decent team, you are giving them a chance.

“We weren’t at our best but we will take it.”

Celtic are top of the standings with 55 points from 20 games, while second-placed Rangers remain nine points behind them on 4

Ange Postecoglou gives Alistair Johnson Celtic debut verdict and reiterates ‘they are human beings’ after letting standards slip

Celtic manager Ange Postecolgou issued a ‘more to come’ pledge over debutant Alistair Johnston after handing the 24-year-old a surprise first start in the white-hot derby atmosphere at Ibrox.

Andrew Smith

By Andrew Smith

https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/celtic/ange-postecoglou-gives-alistair-johnson-celtic-debut-verdict-and-reiterates-they-are-human-beings-after-letting-standards-slip-3971629

The £3million signing from CF Montreal – pitched in at right-back despite Josip Juranoic’s availability – proved one of the more effective performers for the visitors across a topsy-turvy 2-2 draw, a contest that required them to fashion a closing minutes equaliser despite storming into an early lead.

As Celtic “lost their way”, as Postecoglou conceded, through Rangers netting twice across the early minutes of the second period, Johnston stuck to his tasks. And his manager accorded him credit for that as he acknowledged he hardly afforded him the most straightforward introduction into the Scottish game.

“I thought he was good,” Postecoglou said of Johnston’s first outing. “It’s a difficult game to throw him into. Not only is it a derby, it’s away from home and also we all knew it was a big game for a number of reasons. For the most part, he handled himself really well. He was solid defensively. He was up against a very good player in Ryan Kent.

Alistair Johnston made his Celtic debut and manager Ange Postecoglou was impressed with his performance.

Alistair Johnston made his Celtic debut and manager Ange Postecoglou was impressed with his performance.

“For the most part, I thought he handled it really well, but there is more to come from him, especially in an attacking sense once he gets to understand our game. He won’t get a sterner test than that as a Celtic player. He came through it really well.”

Postecoglou’s assessment of his team’s endeavours across the afternoon was hardly glowing. Yet, he had commendations over their rustling up of an 87th-minute Kyogo Furuhashi equaliser that allowed them to emerge from the confrontation with their nine-point cinch Premiership lead intact.

“It was a cracking game of football; a good derby,” he said. “Both teams were going at it. We started really well and then just lost our way a little bit. The last 10/15 minutes of the first half we were giving the ball away unnecessarily, uncharacteristically for us without a great deal of pressure. That allowed them to get that little bit of belief and obviously they came out at the start of the second half really strong. We struggled to get to grips but again, when it was required, the players found the will and character to get the goal later to get us a result.

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“They are human beings, they are not going to be perfect all the time. The beauty of it is within that context they still found a way because at 2-1 it would have been easy, with the crowd the way it was and the way the game was going for us, to resign ourselves to our fate – ‘it is not our day’ – but this group of players never do that and they didn’t today.”

BBC
By Tom EnglishBBC Scotland at Ibrox

Last updated on

3 hours ago3 hours ago.From the section Scottish Premiership
Daizen Maeda slots past Allan McGregor
Daizen Maeda slotted past Allan McGregor after Alfredo Morelos’ error

Kyogo Furuhashi’s late equaliser denied Rangers a famous Old Firm comeback victory and preserved Celtic’s nine-point lead in the Scottish Premiership.

Daizen Maeda collected a blind pass from Alfredo Morelos and fired the leaders ahead after five minutes.

But Ryan Kent brought Rangers level 100 seconds after the break and James Tavernier converted a penalty after Carl Starfelt fouled Fashion Sakala.

Kyogo’s 88th-minute goal denied Michael Beale a dream Old Firm debut as boss.

Reaction & as it happened
More on Rangers here
All the latest Celtic news

The start and the finish were all Celtic but in between they had a kitchen sink thrown at them. Just when you thought they were beaten and that the league title race wasn’t quite as done as we had thought, they grabbed an equaliser.

A dramatic moment. Perhaps a title-defining moment.

The visitors looked superior in the beginning, and it wasn’t as if Rangers were not warned about Celtic’s rapid starts in these games. Coming into this one, Ange Postecoglou’s team had scored 10 league goals against Rangers with nine of them coming in the opening half and three of the nine in the early minutes.

Make that four. Morelos’ day began with a reckless ball across his midfield to a space occupied by Maeda and Tavernier. Maeda won the ball, accelerated away from the full-back, ghosted past Connor Goldson and beat Allan McGregor with a lovely finish. It was a goal of ruthless quality.

A win and Celtic’s lead would have stretched to 12 points. Rangers’ hopes of making any kind of fight for the title were hanging by a thread at that moment.

In the 20 minutes that followed, Celtic were slick and Rangers were reeling. The home team looked anxious and vulnerable – Sakala really the only one with the right amount of edge – then Greg Taylor went off injured, Josip Juranovic appeared as an auxiliary left-back ahead of the benched Alexandro Bernabei and everything changed soon after.

Juranovic had a fine World Cup with Croatia and has a bronze medal to show for it. Here, playing out of position and getting a roasting from Sakala, all he had was a red face.

The first signs of a momentum shift came just before the half-hour mark when Joe Hart dallied in possession and got mugged by Morelos. Having charged down Hart’s clearance, the striker played it to Glen Kamara who moved it on to Kent.

He had space and time and tried to cushion his finish into the corner of Hart’s net rather getting out the bazooka and blasting it home, as he did it brilliantly later on. Hart recovered to make an excellent save, but Kent’s pained expression told its own story.

Celtic now lost their composure. Time and again Postecoglou gesticulated at the wastefulness of his players. Slowly but surely Rangers were growing into the game. They should have been level when Morelos had a free header from a Tavernier corner but he failed to find the target.

Three minutes later, it was exactly the same story. Same type of corner from the same side of the pitch, taken by the same man and headed wide by the same striker, Morelos getting up ahead of Juranovic.

That was three big chances and no goals. Not many teams in Scotland can get away with such profligacy against Celtic, but this was not the free-flowing, tempo-setting Celtic we’ve seen so often. And it wasn’t the vulnerable side of Rangers’ personality we were seeing either.

It took Rangers 100 seconds of the new half to get the goal they deserved, Sakala heavily involved when beating Juranovic before playing it to Kent, who buried an absolute peach beyond Hart’s reach.

Finishing has been Kent’s bugbear for a long while. He had scored only once in 26 games before this one – one in 38 if you include last season – but his strike this time was pure and utterly unstoppable.

Ibrox was electrified – then Rangers scored again. Sakala went past Juranovic then went down in the box under a challenge from Starfelt. Referee John Beaton pointed to the spot and Tavernier banged it past Hart. In the relative blink of an eye, Rangers were ahead.

It was a sensational comeback from a team displaying a new-found steel under Beale. His counterpart, meanwhile, brought on the attacking cavalry to try to turn it around. Giorgos Giakoumakis, Liel Abada and Jota all appeared for the rescue mission.

All those front players left Celtic open in defence, of course, and a late counter-attack could have wrapped it up before time. Kent motored away and fed Malik Tillman, whose effort on goal was blocked by Cameron Carter-Vickers. That was a very big intervention, as it turned out.

Celtic have made an art form out of scoring late goals this season, but until Kyogo did it you really doubted them. They’d posed little or not threat up to that point. Rangers had looked comfortable in their lead. There was a couple of minutes left and the visitors looked a beaten side.

Wrong. Celtic had another go. Jota’s cross pinged around the Rangers box, their defence suddenly muddled. When the ball broke free, Kyogo’s eyes widened as it came it him. The striker, without an Old Firm goal to his name, smashed it in to silence Ibrox bar the pocket of delirious visitors tucked away in the corner.

It was a goal that sickened Rangers to their core. What do you have to do to beat this Celtic team? The gap remains nine points with a goal difference that effectively makes it 10. Despite their best efforts, the mountain Rangers are looking up at is as high as it ever was.
Player of the match – Fashion Sakala
Fashion Sakala
Even when Rangers struggled early on, Fashion Sakala was combative. Then he became heavily influential as he ran at Josip Juranovic repeatedly. His best performance in a blue shirt, but not enough for the victory his team so desperately needed.
What did they say?

Rangers manager Michael Beale to Sky Sports: “The two goals for us [to lose] are poor goals to give away, certainly the one earlier on.

“We started well but we then conceded and took 10/15 minutes to find ourselves. We had two big chances with Alfredo and then Kent who hit the post.

“Their equaliser was poor from us, we sat deep and had three or four chances to clear it.”

Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou to Sky Sports: “It was a great game of football before we get to anything else, it was a cracking game. All eyes, not just in Scotland, but around the world were on it, and both teams at it – a proper derby.”

On mistakes his players made, he added: “They’re human beings, they’re not robots. It’s a big occasion, a big game, and we just tightened up in some areas where our football is a lot more free-flowing and we didn’t do that today.”

  • Match ends, Rangers 2, Celtic 2.

  • Full Time

    Second Half ends, Rangers 2, Celtic 2.

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    Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

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    Foul by Scott Wright (Rangers).

  • Booking

    Ryan Jack (Rangers) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

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    Jota (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

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    Foul by Ryan Jack (Rangers).

  • Booking

    Carl Starfelt (Celtic) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

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    Foul by Carl Starfelt (Celtic).

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    James Sands (Rangers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

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    Attempt missed. Fashion Sakala (Rangers) right footed shot from the right side of the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Scott Wright following a set piece situation.

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    Foul by Giorgos Giakoumakis (Celtic).

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    Connor Goldson (Rangers) wins a free kick on the right wing.

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    Offside, Celtic. Liel Abada tries a through ball, but Giorgos Giakoumakis is caught offside.

  • Goal!

    Goal! Rangers 2, Celtic 2. Kyogo Furuhashi (Celtic) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the high centre of the goal.

  • Substitution

    Substitution, Rangers. James Sands replaces Malik Tillman.

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    Foul by Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic).

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    Malik Tillman (Rangers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

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    Attempt blocked. Malik Tillman (Rangers) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Ryan Kent.

  • Substitution

    Substitution, Rangers. Scott Wright replaces Alfredo Morelos.

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    Offside, Celtic. Jota tries a through ball, but Josip Juranovic is caught offside.

  • Substitution

    Substitution, Celtic. Giorgos Giakoumakis replaces Reo Hatate.

  • Substitution

    Substitution, Celtic. Jota replaces Daizen Maeda.

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    Foul by Daizen Maeda (Celtic).

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    James Tavernier (Rangers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

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    Hand ball by Glen Kamara (Rangers).

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    Foul by Carl Starfelt (Celtic).

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    Fashion Sakala (Rangers) wins a free kick on the right wing.

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    Reo Hatate (Celtic) wins a free kick on the left wing.

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    Foul by Malik Tillman (Rangers).

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    Attempt blocked. Fashion Sakala (Rangers) left footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Alfredo Morelos.

  • Substitution

    Substitution, Rangers. Ryan Jack replaces John Lundstram because of an injury.

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    Aaron Mooy (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

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    Foul by James Tavernier (Rangers).

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    Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Connor Goldson.

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    Attempt blocked. Callum McGregor (Celtic) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Daizen Maeda.

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    Attempt blocked. Reo Hatate (Celtic) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Aaron Mooy.

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    Foul by Alistair Johnston (Celtic).

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    John Lundstram (Rangers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

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    Attempt blocked. Carl Starfelt (Celtic) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Cameron Carter-Vickers.

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    Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Connor Goldson.

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    Corner, Celtic. Conceded by James Tavernier.

  • Substitution

    Substitution, Celtic. Liel Abada replaces James Forrest.

  • Substitution

    Substitution, Celtic. Aaron Mooy replaces Matt O’Riley.

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    Corner, Rangers. Conceded by Carl Starfelt.

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    Daizen Maeda (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

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    Foul by Malik Tillman (Rangers).

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    Attempt blocked. John Lundstram (Rangers) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Alfredo Morelos.

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    Foul by Carl Starfelt (Celtic).

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    Alfredo Morelos (Rangers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

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    Goal! Rangers 2, Celtic 1. James Tavernier (Rangers) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the top left corner.

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    Penalty conceded by Carl Starfelt (Celtic) after a foul in the penalty area.

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    Penalty Rangers. Fashion Sakala draws a foul in the penalty area.

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    Attempt missed. Fashion Sakala (Rangers) right footed shot from the right side of the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by James Tavernier.

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    Foul by Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic).

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    Alfredo Morelos (Rangers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  • Goal!

    Goal! Rangers 1, Celtic 1. Ryan Kent (Rangers) right footed shot from the left side of the box to the top right corner. Assisted by Fashion Sakala.

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    Foul by Alistair Johnston (Celtic).

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    Glen Kamara (Rangers) wins a free kick on the left wing.

  • Second Half

    Second Half begins Rangers 0, Celtic 1.

  • Half Time

    First Half ends, Rangers 0, Celtic 1.

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    Attempt missed. Alfredo Morelos (Rangers) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by James Tavernier with a cross following a corner.

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    Corner, Rangers. Conceded by Reo Hatate.

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    Attempt missed. Malik Tillman (Rangers) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Borna Barisic with a cross.

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    Attempt missed. Alfredo Morelos (Rangers) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses the top right corner.

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    Attempt missed. Josip Juranovic (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Reo Hatate.

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    Attempt missed. Alfredo Morelos (Rangers) header from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by James Tavernier with a cross following a corner.

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    Corner, Rangers. Conceded by Alistair Johnston.

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    Attempt blocked. Reo Hatate (Celtic) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Daizen Maeda.

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    Attempt saved. Malik Tillman (Rangers) header from very close range is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Borna Barisic with a cross.

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    Corner, Rangers. Conceded by Daizen Maeda.

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    Daizen Maeda (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

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    Foul by Fashion Sakala (Rangers).

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    Corner, Rangers. Conceded by Alistair Johnston.

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    Attempt blocked. Fashion Sakala (Rangers) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked.

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    Attempt saved. Ryan Kent (Rangers) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Glen Kamara.

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    Foul by Kyogo Furuhashi (Celtic).

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    John Lundstram (Rangers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

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    Matt O’Riley (Celtic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

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    Foul by John Lundstram (Rangers).

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    Offside, Celtic. Alistair Johnston tries a through ball, but James Forrest is caught offside.

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    Hand ball by Glen Kamara (Rangers).

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    Reo Hatate (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

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    Foul by Fashion Sakala (Rangers).

  • Substitution

    Substitution, Celtic. Josip Juranovic replaces Greg Taylor because of an injury.

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    Offside, Celtic. Greg Taylor tries a through ball, but Kyogo Furuhashi is caught offside.

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    Greg Taylor (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

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    Foul by Fashion Sakala (Rangers).

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    Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Allan McGregor.

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    Attempt missed. Callum McGregor (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Reo Hatate.

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    Offside, Rangers. Connor Goldson tries a through ball, but Fashion Sakala is caught offside.

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    Offside, Rangers. Connor Goldson tries a through ball, but Fashion Sakala is caught offside.

  • Goal!

    Goal! Rangers 0, Celtic 1. Daizen Maeda (Celtic) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal.

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    Malik Tillman (Rangers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

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    Foul by Reo Hatate (Celtic).

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    John Lundstram (Rangers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

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    Foul by Matt O’Riley (Celtic).

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    Attempt saved. Ryan Kent (Rangers) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by James Tavernier.

  • Kick Off

    First Half begins.

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    Lineups are announced and players are warming up.

Rangers-Celtic reaction: Beale retains derby touch; anti-Catholic and anti-respect cesspit:

VAR hasn’t helped Postecoglou’s men
Rangers manager Michael Beale continued to confound expectations in passing yet another test – even if left cursing what might have been after his team conceded a closing-minutes equaliser in their 2-2 at home to Celtic.

https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/rangers/rangers-celtic-reaction-beale-retains-derby-touch-anti-catholic-and-anti-respect-cesspit-var-hasnt-helped-postecoglous-men-3972020

Anti-Catholic and anti-respect cesspit
It can be hard not to question your life choices when pitched into the “special” atmosphere created by Scottish football’s titans facing off in Ibrox at new year. A stew of sorriness ensues from these circumstances. The fact that a small section of Celtic’s 750 supporters – it seemed in the region of a couple of dozen – could not remain silent for the minute’s silence to the 66 victims of the 1971 Ibrox disaster was reprehensible. Common decency frighteningly lacking among the despicable disruptors. This came about 20 minutes after thousands of Rangers supporters, from all four corners, gave vent to the No Pope of Rome chant. Surely not unconnected with the death of Pope emeritus Benedict XVI this week. The anti-Catholic songbook was out in force from the Rangers legions throughout the afternoon. This included the Follow Follow melody with its doctored lyrics regarding the Pope and the Vatican and The Billy Boys.

It remains mystifying we appear to have become so inured to such widescale expressions of religious bigotry in a supposed modern, pluralistic society. It is always worth picking apart the lines in No Pope of Rome and considering the reaction that would be provoked, rightly, were anti-Semitism or anti-Islamic sentiment instead being expressed in full public view by so many. So instead of ‘no chapels to sadden my eye … no priests’, the demand for erasure was ‘no synagogues … no rabbis’ or ‘no mosques … no imams’.

And this isn’t about giving one side or the other any moral high grounds. This publication has been consistent in calling out all forms of sectarian chants and language, such as the Orange Bs heard from thousands at Celtic matches. It’s all such a stain on our game …

VAR hasn’t helped Postecoglou’s men
It is now becoming apparent that the subjective nature of so many decisions in football will mean VAR won’t strain the Scottish game of contentious calls. It was unfathomable for Willie Collum manning VAR for the derby not to consider that Connor Goldson slapping the ball with hands above his face wasn’t a penalty incident referee John Beaton should be called over to his pitchside monitor to take a look at. The handball rule is a mess, but there is no precedent for a penalty not being given when hands placed in this area make contact with the ball. Indeed, what reason beyond getting hands in the way of the ball – even if a natural defensive reaction, which the rules make no allowance for – could be given for this ‘unnatural’ position in terms of the body’s biomechanics?

Collum must also have been away for a rich tea and a cuppa when Beaton awarded Rangers a 52nd minute penalty after Carl Starfelt slid along the box to block as Fashion Sakala appeared to shape to cross. In real time, it seemed a clear penalty, and correct decision from Beaton, Starfelt appearing to have made contact with the striker. However, replays showed that it was actually his opponent who initiated the contact. Sakala planted his foot on Starfelt’s trailing leg to become unbalanced. The defender had not slid into him, crucially, but alongside him. VAR should have cleared that up and helped Beaton out. Instead, Ange Postecoglou’s men were left with yet more gripes about a system that has caused them only grief in the two months since it arrived in Scottish football.

Beale retains derby touch
It seemed for all the world that a miserable afternoon was in store for the Ibrox club when Daizen Maeda sliced his way through the middle of their defences to put Celtic one up in the fifth minute of the Scottish heavyweights’ new year derby. The fact Rangers not only didn’t buckle from this point, but ended up bending their visitors to their will with two quickfire goals at the beginning of the second period, made for a remarkable turnaround. Irrespective of their ability to hold on for a victory that would have breathed life into this title race.

The nine-point advantage that Ange Postecoglou’s men left intact with from Govan makes it a given they will clinch a second consecutive championship. However, Michael Beale’s ability to reinvigorate Rangers across his five weeks as manager – which have yielded 13 points from a possible 15, as the predicted Celtic slapdown did not materialise – hints that the Englishman could give the Parkhead club more to think about in the coming year than their recent superiority would have suggested was in the offing.

For one, Beale has now extended his unbeaten run in Glasgow derbies into which he has imputed to eight games. A result of the fact that, as right-hand man to Steven Gerrard, the pair left for Aston Villa last November with six victories and a draw in their final seven confrontations with the club’s bitter rivals. Moreover, from goalscorer Ryan Kent, Fashion Sakala and – despite his chance-squandering, Alfredo Morelos – he drew potent performances on the biggest domestic stage. At times this season under predecessor Giovanni van Bronckhorst, all three of these attackers seemed to entirely lose their way in more modest surrounds. Being competitive against Celtic and overhauling them may be two distinct challenges. But even in appearing capable of progressing the Ibrox side on the former front, Beale is making a strong start to his managerial stint at the club.

Ange Postecoglou: Celtic boss on VAR, handball and referee decisions
By Jane LewisBBC Scotland
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/64189294

2 hours ago2 hours ago.From the section Celtic
‘Surprised it wasn’t given’ – Goldson incident analysed

Ange Postecoglou is convinced Celtic should have had a penalty for Connor Goldson’s “save” during Monday’s Old Firm derby draw at Ibrox.

And the manager believes there is “zero chance” of major decisions against his team being evened up this season.

“Before we even started introducing VAR, it’s always been a penalty,” he said of the handball incident.

“To be honest, there were only two saves made in the game – one by Joe (Hart) and one by Connor.”

Goldson put two hands up in front of his face to stop Carl Starfelt’s shot but referee John Beaton played on and video assistant referee Willie Collum did not call a review.

Postecoglou remains baffled by the decision and added other examples of what he believes are inconsistencies.

“I have seen people doing all sorts of mental gymnastics trying to show why it’s not a penalty, which probably suggests it is,” he said. “If it wasn’t, it would be a simple explanation.

“I don’t think it is just confined to us as a club, there are other clubs in the same boat.

“It’s just really confusing now for players to know what they can or can’t do because it seems to change depending on who’s in charge – because there is zero consistency.

“In 25 years of coaching or managing I have always abided by the referee’s decision. You would be hard-pressed to find me really criticising any referee, because I have always believed they even themselves out. They are human beings, they make mistakes, we make mistakes, players make mistakes.

“But when I look at the introduction of VAR and the decisions that have gone against us, there is zero chance that’s going to even up between now and the end of the year, because it’s remarkable we have had at least three major decisions go against us.

“You can just say it comes down to interpretation or whatever people want to say but I guarantee if that game had finished 2-2 and it was Rangers that were denied that decision, the talk this week would be how that was a title-defining decision.

“The fact it wasn’t because we still got a result doesn’t mean we should ignore it, because a team could get relegated on a decision like that.”

Despite his frustration, Postecoglou does not feel it is his role to speak to the referees’ department.

“When you see such a vast inconsistency, there is obviously an issue that needs to be resolved and the best people to resolve it are the officials, not me or anyone else outside,” he said.

“Even now I don’t place any criticism on referees. My issue is there’s a real confusion about what is a penalty and what isn’t a penalty, what gets referred and what shouldn’t get referred. And I don’t think I’m the only one in that boat.”