Rangers 2-2 Celtic: Kyogo Furuhashi’s late strike maintains nine-point lead over Old Firm rivals

Kyogo Furuhashi’s late strike noticed Celtic snatch a 2-2 draw with Rangers to take care of their nine-point lead on the high of the Scottish Premiership.

Daizen Maeda gave Ange Postecoglou’s facet an early lead, firing dwelling within the fifth minute after a poor cross from Rangers striker Alfredo Morelos.

Ryan Kent introduced Rangers stage simply two minutes after the break and James Tavernier transformed a penalty within the 53rd minute after Carl Starfelt fouled Fashion Sakala to place the Ibrox facet forward.

Kyogo pounced with two minutes of regular time left to lash dwelling Jota’s deflected cross and deny Michael Beale an Old Firm victory.

Celtic deny Rangers Old Firm victory

Beale made two adjustments as he regarded to make it 5 straight wins since taking cost at Rangers with Glen Kamara and Fashion Salaka coming in for Alex Lowry and Ryan Jack.

Postecoglou handed a debut to January signing Alistair Johnston with James Forrest additionally beginning as Aaron Mooy and Liel Abada dropped to the bench.

Rangers began with intent and Kent pressured Joe Hart right into a save contained in the opening minute, however the dwelling followers have been silenced simply minutes later as Celtic took the lead.

Morelos performed a slack cross in his personal half and Maeda nipped in to select up the ball and hearth into the empty internet.

The guests then continued to push as Madea then delivered a harmful low cross into the field however there was nobody ready to take benefit earlier than Allan McGregor reacted to push Callum McGregor’s effort previous the submit.

Celtic have been pressured into an early change as defender Greg Taylor, an harm doubt forward of the match, was changed by Josip Juranovic.

Hart virtually gifted Rangers an equaliser within the twenty seventh minute. He took too lengthy on the ball and Morelos reduce the ball again to Kent, however the Celtic goalkeeper recovered to tip his shot onto the submit.

As the Ibrox devoted grew more and more annoyed, Morelos headed effectively over from Tavernier’s nook earlier than curling a shot previous the submit.

The Colombia worldwide then despatched one other header simply large because the hosts remained behind on the break.

They have been stage although simply two minutes after the restart as Kent fired into the highest nook after being picked out by Sakala.

Referee John Beaton pointed to the penalty spot within the 52nd minute after Carl Starfelt caught Sakala with a sliding deal with.

Up stepped Tavernier who made no mistake and fired Rangers forward together with his a hundredth profession purpose.

The match had swung in the direction of the Light Blues and on the hour mark Postecoglou changed Forrest and Matt O’Riley with Liel Abada and Aaron Mooy, and Celtic responded.

Ibrox held its breath as Beaton checked for a potential handball within the Rangers penalty space after a Starfelt shot hit Goldson, however play continued because it did following a second potential penalty declare for Celtic when once more the ball got here
off Goldson minutes later.

The sport stretched within the more and more tense closing levels.

Rangers countered within the 84th minute however backtracking Celtic defender Cameron Carter-Vickers brilliantly blocked a goalbound shot from Malik Tillman.

But there was extra drama to come back and within the 88th minute, Celtic snatched an equaliser.

Substitutes Mooy, Jota and Georgios Giakoumakis have been all concerned in an assault contained in the Gers field and when the ball fell to Furuhashi, the Japan striker lifted his shot excessive previous McGregor for a share of the spoils as seven minutes of
added time couldn’t present a winner.

Beale: We competed with Celtic

Michael Beale informed Sky Sports there have been loads of positives to take from the sport:

“The two goals [conceded] from us are poor goals to give away, certainly early in the game. We actually started well and gave away a goal. It then took us ten to 15 minutes to find ourselves again.

“I assumed we did, I did not actually need the half-time whistle. We had two large probabilities with Alfredo from headers, Ryan Kent hits the submit and also you’re considering at half-time that we have to present somewhat bit extra perception as a result of I did not suppose there was a lot within the sport aside from that.

“In the second half, we showed that. We get ourselves 2-1 up and we controlled the game, they’ve not been near Allan. We have a big chance to go 3-1 up and we don’t take it.

“There have been actually extra solutions and I’ve given them some issues in there that we have to do transferring ahead. We’ve actually bought gamers in our squad that may come again and assist, we’ll get fitter and stronger as we go.

“The big thing for us is we’ve only been back together for a few weeks and we’re already at a level where we can compete with the team we need to compete with.

“Now, we have to present consistency in all the opposite video games. We’re no additional away than what we have been 4 or 5 weeks in the past. We’d wish to be two factors nearer, however there’s 18 video games to go and we have to maintain bettering right here.”

Postecoglou: Mistakes allowed Rangers into the sport

Celtic supervisor Ange Postecoglou spoke to Sky Sports at full-time:

“It was a great game of football. All eyes are on this game, not just in Scotland, but around the world. I thought both teams were at it today, it was a real proper derby. It was a cracking game.

“We began rather well after which we simply misplaced management, primarily self-inflicted due to our passing. We made errors in areas of our passing that we do not normally do and it allowed them into it and so they bought a little bit of momentum, significantly with the gang behind them.

“At the start of the second half, they took a football hold for 15 or 20 minutes. Again, a great spirit shown by the lads.

“It’s very straightforward on a day like this to resign your self to a failure, however we’ve not carried out that every one 12 months or final 12 months and we discovered a approach.

“It’s a difficult place to come to. They threw everything at us, they knew how important the game was in the context of the league. For the most part, I thought we handled it OK.

“They’re human beings, not robots. It’s an enormous event, large sport and I assumed we tightened up in areas the place our soccer is much more free-flowing and we did not try this as we speak.”

What’s subsequent?

Sunday eighth January 3:30pm


Kick off 4:00pm

Rangers go to Dundee United within the Scottish Premiership on Sunday in a 4pm kick-off, dwell on Sky Sports from 3.30pm. Michael Beale’s facet then face Aberdeen within the Scottish League Cup semi-final at Hampden Park on January 15.

Celtic’s subsequent Scottish Premiership sport is at dwelling towards Kilmarnock in a 3pm kick-off on Saturday. The Hoops then face the identical opposition per week later within the Scottish League Cup semi-final at Hampden Park on January 14.