December 26, 2024

Full-time: Celtic 1-1 Rangers

Barisic #Barisic

Right, that’s it from me. Thanks for all your emails, stick around on site for more news and reaction.

And here’s Ewan Murray’s on-the-whistle match report:

Here’s Jota on Sky Sports: “Always a tough game against Rangers. We did our best. We just have to get together and next week go again.”

So Celtic stay six points clear with three matches to play, and their goal difference is worth another. So realistically for Rangers it’s the Europa League or bust.

Great minds …

Full-time: Celtic 1-1 Rangers

Peep! PEEP!! PEEEEEEEEP!!! All over and it’s honours even. Probably a fair result, though Rangers certainly finished the stronger.

90+2 min: Giakoumakis nearly combines with Abada again in the Rangers box but Barisic steps in to clear. Goldson is the latest to go into the book.

Updated at 08.50 EDT

90 min: Abada is a yard offside from Giakoumakis’s flick-on. Two added minutes to play. Can’t remember the last time I saw just two minutes added at the end of the game, and we didn’t have any added time at the end of the first half, so it’s two minutes total.

89 min: … which Jota clips well over. After a scrappy, occasionally scruffy, affair, the last quarter of this game has been great entertainment.

Updated at 08.47 EDT

88 min: Diallo immediately goes into the book as he brings down Abada, who is charging through the Rangers half on the break. Dangerous free-kick …

Updated at 08.46 EDT

87 min: Arfield is replaced by Diallo for Rangers.

86 min: Off the post! Sakala is put through and again goes for the near post. Again he beats Hart but this he sees his effort come back off the inside of the upright.

84 min: What a save! Incredible from Joe Hart. Wright does superbly down the Rangers right and pulls the ball back to Arfield, who does well to control his first-time effort from close range but the Celtic goalkeeper is down superbly to make the stop.

82 min: Hart makes a hash of a clearance but gets a bit lucky as Lundstram launches his cross into the stands.

80 min: It’s all getting a little tetchy now.

78 min: And Kent joins him after a high boot. Meanwhile, Abada replaces Maeda for the home side.

77 min: Giakoumakis is the latest to go into the book after needlessly upending Bassey.

75 min: Celtic Park howls for a penalty as Rogic flicks a pass into Lundstram’s arm. Nothing doing.

74 min: Jota does wonderfully well to release Ralston but Bassey reads the right-back’s attempted cross towards Rogic.

72 min: Bitton goes into the book for bundling over Wright.

71 min: … Sakala meets it and should really do better than nod over. All of a sudden it’s Celtic’s turn to wobble.

70 min: Sakala stings Joe Hart’s palms with another fine effort from the edge of the box, after brilliant work from Lundstram. Corner to Rangers …

GOAL! Celtic 1-1 Rangers (Sakala 68)

And as with the first half, a team scores against the run of play! Kent slips Sakala in in the left channel and he fizzes an effort past Hart at the near post. Again out of nowhere. It’s level.

Fashion Sakala Jnr of Rangers scores past Joe Hart of Celtic. Photograph: Luke Nickerson/Rangers FC/REX/Shutterstock

Updated at 09.10 EDT

67 min: “Credit must go to Ange Postecoglou for Celtic’s remarkable turnaround this season,” writes Simon McMahon. “The Celtic team that finished last season were a risible shower, yet the Australian has built a formidable team, in domestic terms at least, with eight of today’s starting 11 signed by him this season, and only McGregor being a regular starter prior to this season. Given most Celtic fans were, at best, apathetic towards his appointment (and indeed many were calling for his sacking after he lost three of his first league games in charge) he’s done alright.”

66 min: After an intricate set piece routine, Rangers half clear. But those subs seem to have put a spring into Celtic’s steps.

64 min: … fired in low by Jota but Arfield is in the way. And there’s a handball as Rangers attempt to clear.

63 min: Maeda and Rogic somehow contrive to fail to get a shot away with space in the Rangers box. Jota wins a free-kick out on the Celtic right though …

62 min: And a double change for Rangers: Jack on for Davis, Wright on for Aribo.

60 min: A triple change for Celtic: Rogic, Giakoumakis and Bitton replace Hatate, Furuhashi and O’Riley.

59 min: Tavernier whips a ball in from the right, again it’s Starfelt who heads away but this time the ball drops for Davis on the edge of the box. The ball just bounces awkwardly for him and his first-time effort floats well over. A little better from Rangers that – you got the sense they were beginning to run out of ideas.

57 min: Kent gets across Ralston but can’t make contact with the cross from the right.

56 min: That seems to be the problem for Rangers – they’ve had 10 minutes of dominance without really creating a chance, yet Celtic make one as soon as they break forward.

55 min: And, just like that, Celtic should be two up. Hatate’s ball into the box breaks loose to Maeda, 15 yards out, but he blazes his effort over the bar.

54 min: … Sakala climbs highest but nods well over the bar. It’s all Rangers so far this half.

53 min: Barisic plops a cross into the area and Sakala is denied by Starfelt. Corner to Rangers …

52 min: Carter-Vickers just gets to the ball first in front of Aribo and the pair take a while to gingerly get back to their feet.

50 min: Ralston is late on Arfield in the middle of the pitch as the ball bounces loose. He goes into the book.

48 min: Sakala is caught offside as Rangers threaten once more.

47 min: … the ball drops on the penalty spot and Goldson swivels … but launches his effort over the bar.

46 min: As they did in the first half, Rangers begin on the front foot. Carter-Vickers skews a clearance out for a corner …

Peep! Off we go again.

Rangers are out a good couple of minutes before Celtic for the second half …

Half-time: Celtic 1-0 Rangers

Peep! Peeeeep!! And there it is. An even half really, but Celtic look to have much more quality in attack and that’s the difference so far.

43 min: Furuhashi whips his effort wide from range. Rangers could do with the half-time whistle here.

41 min: What a chance! Maeda should nod home but has one eye on the Rangers goalkeeper and timidly glances wide from close range. “The old tortoise neck,” says Ally McCoist on commentary.

40 min: Rangers haven’t really created a thing since the opening 15 minutes.

38 min: Tavernier swings in a couple of corners from the Rangers right, both a bit deep and aimless.

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