Rangers’ Filip Helander (left) watches as his header beats Celtic’s Joe Hart to amke it 1-0
Filip Helander’s thumping header settled a pulsating Previous Agency derby as a depleted Rangers inflicted Celtic’s second Scottish Premiership defeat of the season at a packed Ibrox.
The house facet, with supervisor Steven Gerrard and several other gamers absent after a Covid outbreak, made it seven derbies in a row with out defeat, with victory in six of them.
Celtic striker Odsonne Edouard someway squirted extensive from shut vary with the sport goalless, earlier than Helander’s header claimed the factors for the champions.
The victory strikes Rangers to inside some extent of Hibernian and Hearts on the summit, with Celtic in sixth place after two defeats in 4 matches.
It additionally means Ange Postecoglou turns into the primary Celtic supervisor since Tony Mowbray in 2009 to lose his first Previous Agency derby.
It was the primary Previous Agency recreation in entrance of followers since December 2019, however Celtic needed to face down the capability Ibrox crowd with none of their very own folks to assist them.
However there have been absentees within the Rangers ranks, too. Most notable was supervisor Gerrard, who was not at Ibrox after a Covid outbreak, and was changed by assistant Gary McAllister.
And goalkeepers Allan McGregor and Jon McLaughlin, captain James Tavernier, and fellow right-back Nathan Paterson, have been among the many others lacking out.
The uncertainty and vulnerability either side had proven this season made it all of the extra fascinating. The query was who would blink first?
Rangers striker Alfredo Morelos shot over early on as he tried to hit the online for the third derby in a row, and Celtic’s Japanese ahead Kyogo Furuhashi clipped an effort extensive in his first style of this event.
Again it swung once more. Rangers’ Kemar Roofe chested the ball down within the field however could not get a shot away, earlier than Edouard inexplicably handed up a golden likelihood.
Kyogo squared the ball into the Frenchman’s path with simply third-choice goalkeeper Robbie McCrorie to beat. The Edouard of previous would have put it away in his sleep, however this time he horribly skewed within the unsuitable path.
Rangers’ Kent whipped a low shot off the surface of the far put up because the end-to-end motion continued. However in all of the frantic and absorbing motion, neither goalkeeper had truly been examined in 45 minutes.
The tide appeared to show in Rangers’ favour after the break, although. Connor Goldson, Kent and Roofe all had half-chances earlier than Celtic responded with a tame David Turnbull free-kick into the arms of McCrorie.
And, with the momentum very a lot with Rangers, they broke the impasse when Borna Barisic’s nook reached Helander, who made a late run to the again put up and bulleted a header past Joe Hart.
The sport nonetheless had extra twists and turns in it, although. Moments after conceding, Kyogo discovered himself one-on-one with McCrorie, however the younger Rangers goalkeeper denied him with a sensible save in what was solely his second look.
And the Japanese once more broke by way of into the field, however elected for a strike as an alternative of squaring the ball to an unmarked Ryan Christie, with McCrorie getting a foot to the shot.
A minute later he made he made the unsuitable resolution once more – squaring when he ought to have shot – earlier than Celtic debutant Josip Juranovic shot over as Celtic utilized late strain.
Style Sakala may need burnished Rangers’ lead when he broke free on the suitable, however the hosts had achieved sufficient to keep up their dominance in Glasgow, and have now gained their final 21 dwelling league video games in a row.
Man of the match – Leon Balogun
Balogun (left) needed to fill in at proper again however stored the damaging Kyogo quiet
What did we be taught?
Each needed to deploy makeshift defences; Rangers enjoying Leon Balogun at proper again, whereas Croatian defender Juranovic made his Celtic debut in an unfamiliar left-back function. Regardless of that, each defences stood up nicely.
The sport turned on a improbable supply from a Barisic nook, however Celtic can be left licking their wounds having handed up superb probabilities of their very own.
What’s subsequent?
After the worldwide break, Rangers journey to St Johnstone on Saturday, 11 September (12:30 BST) whereas Celtic are at dwelling to Ross County later that day (15:00).
Easy methods to play
Charge gamers out of 10 all through or after the sport. The rater will shut half-hour after the ultimate whistle.
Score vary key = Give it up = Pure perfection
Rangers
Squad quantity28Participant titleMcCrorie
Squad quantity26Participant titleBalogun
Squad quantity6Participant titleGoldson
Squad quantity5Participant titleHelander
Squad quantity31Participant titleBarisic
Squad quantity17Participant titleAribo
Squad quantity10Participant titleDavis
Squad quantity18Participant titleKamara
Squad quantity25Participant titleRoofe
Squad quantity20Participant titleMorelos
Squad quantity14Participant titleKent
Squad quantity4Participant titleLundstram
Squad quantity30Participant titleSakala
Squad quantity37Participant titleArfield
Celtic
Squad quantity15Participant titleHart
Squad quantity56Participant titleRalston
Squad quantity57Participant titleWelsh
Squad quantity4Participant titleStarfelt
Squad quantity88Participant titleJuranovic
Squad quantity17Participant titleChristie
Squad quantity42Participant titleMcGregor
Squad quantity14Participant titleTurnbull
Squad quantity11Participant titleAbada
Squad quantity22Participant titleEdouard
Squad quantity8Participant titleFuruhashi
Squad quantity12Participant titleSoro
Squad quantity18Participant titleRogic
Squad quantity54Participant titleMontgomery
Line-ups
Rangers
Formation 4-3-3
28McCrorie
26Balogun6Goldson5Helander31Barisic
17Aribo10Davis18Kamara
25Roofe20Morelos14Kent
28McCrorie26Balogun6Goldson5Helander31Barisic17Aribo10Davis18Kamara25RoofeSubstituted forLundstramat 74′minutes20MorelosSubstituted forSakalaat 84′minutes14KentSubstituted forArfieldat 89′minutes
Substitutes
4Lundstram7Hagi11Itten22Bacuna30Sakala37Arfield54Wright
Celtic
Formation 4-3-3
15Hart
56Ralston57Welsh4Starfelt88Juranovic
17Christie42McGregor14Turnbull
11Abada22Edouard8Furuhashi
15Hart56Ralston57Welsh4Starfelt88Juranovic17Christie42McGregor14TurnbullBooked at 38minsSubstituted forRogicat 67′minutes11AbadaSubstituted forMontgomeryat 86′minutes22EdouardBooked at 65minsSubstituted forSoroat 68′minutes8Furuhashi
Substitutes
6Bitton10Ajeti12Soro18Rogic26Urhoghide29Bain54Montgomery
Dwell Textual content
Match ends, Rangers 1, Celtic 0.
Second Half ends, Rangers 1, Celtic 0.
Try blocked. Stephen Welsh (Celtic) header from the centre of the field is blocked. Assisted by Ryan Christie with a cross.
Nook, Celtic. Conceded by Borna Barisic.
Foul by Ismaila Soro (Celtic).
Glen Kamara (Rangers) wins a free kick within the attacking half.
Try saved. Style Sakala (Rangers) proper footed shot from the suitable facet of the field is saved within the backside proper nook. Assisted by Steven Davis.
Hand ball by Scott Arfield (Rangers).
Substitution, Rangers. Scott Arfield replaces Ryan Kent.
Try missed. Josip Juranovic (Celtic) proper footed shot from outdoors the field is simply too excessive. Assisted by Adam Montgomery.
Carl Starfelt (Celtic) wins a free kick within the attacking half.
Foul by Style Sakala (Rangers).
Substitution, Celtic. Adam Montgomery replaces Liel Abada.
Try saved. Kyogo Furuhashi (Celtic) proper footed shot from the suitable facet of the field is saved within the backside proper nook. Assisted by Tomas Rogic.
Substitution, Rangers. Style Sakala replaces Alfredo Morelos.
Foul by Carl Starfelt (Celtic).
Alfredo Morelos (Rangers) wins a free kick within the defensive half.
Try missed. Alfredo Morelos (Rangers) proper footed shot from a troublesome angle on the suitable is shut, however misses to the suitable. Assisted by Joe Aribo.
Foul by Ryan Christie (Celtic).
John Lundstram (Rangers) wins a free kick within the defensive half.
