Match Report: Rangers 2-2 Celtic

by: Neil Smith

DESPITE a spirited fightback, Rangers had to settle for a draw in the second Old Firm derby of the 2022/23 season.

Second-half goals from Ryan Kent and James Tavernier looked to be giving the Light Blues a victory after Daizen Maeda’s early opener, but with two minutes remaining Celtic’s Kyogo Furuhashi slammed home an equaliser to silence the Ibrox faithful.

After going behind to a strike from Maeda after just five minutes, Michael Beale’s side showed great strength and character to battle their way back into the match.

Zambian forward Fashion Sakala provided the assist for Kent, who curled a brilliant finish past Joe Hart on 47 minutes.

Man of the match Sakala then won the penalty for Rangers’ second after being fouled by Carl Starfelt. Tavernier made no mistake with an ice-cool spot-kick which had power and accuracy.

As the clock ticked down, it looked like Rangers had done enough to secure their fifth league win on the bounce, but Kyogo struck with two minutes of the 90 remaining.

After Ibrox fell silent to remember the 66 supporters who lost their lives in the Ibrox Disaster on 2 January 1971, Rangers showed their intent from kick-off and after just 14 seconds the impressive Ryan Kent tried his luck with a left-foot shot from 25 yards which saw Joe Hart dive to his left to save.

Celtic, however, got their noses in front with just five minutes on the clock, with Maeda latching onto a slack pass from Alfredo Morelos. The Japanese midfielder sprinted past two Rangers defenders before slotting a low shot past Allan McGregor.

The Light Blues had to regroup quickly after going behind but it was McGregor who again had to be sharp, this time getting down to his right to make a finger stop to deny Callum McGregor.

The visitors had to make an early change with just 20 minutes played as left-back Greg Taylor hobbled off and was replaced by Croatian Josip Juranovic.

Before the half-hour mark Rangers then came within inches of levelling the score and it all came from a moment of hesitancy from Hart.

Morelos closed down the Celtic goalkeeper as he tried to make a pass to a defender, with the ball spinning up in the air but staying in play and bouncing in the box.

Morelos fed a pass back to Kamara who then teed up Kent, but Hart was to make amends as he dived to his left at full stretch to turn the ball onto the post before it was cleared.

It was so close for Beale’s side who, from that point, went on to enjoy their most positive spell of the match up to this point, with Kent looking lively and the most likely to make something happen for the Gers in the final third.

With four minutes of the first half remaining, however, it was Tavernier’s teasing corner-kick which gave Rangers their next chance, with Morelos heading over when perhaps he should have done better.

The home side finished the first forty-five strongly, with Morelos heading agonisingly wide from another excellent Tavernier corner.

The second half started with Rangers in the ascendancy, and two minutes after the restart they got the goal their positive play deserved.

McGregor’s long ball found Sakala in space on the halfway line and he turned and pushed forward before finding Kent, who cut in from the left flank into Celtic’s 18-yard box.

The winger jinked inside Alistair Johnston before firing a stunning shot into the opposite corner of Hart’s net.

If that was good it was to get even better for the Gers on 51 minutes as they were awarded a penalty following Carl Starfelt’s clumsy challenge on Sakala in front of the Copland Stand.

Tavernier stepped up and launched a tremendous spot-kick high into the roof of the net, giving Hart absolutely no chance of stopping it.

With his side now second best in the contest, Ange Postecoglou made two further changes to his side, with Liel Abada and Aaron Mooy going on for James Forrest and Matt O’Riley respectively.

Michael Beale made his first switch on 70 minutes, with Ryan Jack replacing John Lundstram and joining Glen Kamara in the centre of the Gers midfield.

Celtic attempted to claw their way back into match in the latter stages and, after Tillman went through on goal but was denied by Hart, the visitors’ perseverance paid off as Furuhashi scored with a scrappy equaliser.

Substitute Georgios Giakoumakis picked out his teammate in the box who fired the ball high into the roof of the net to make it 2-2.

RANGERS: McGregor, Tavernier, Goldson, Davies, Barisic, Lundstram (Jack 70), Kamara, Tillman (Sands 81), Sakala, Kent, Morelos (Wright 79)

SUBS: McLaughlin, Colak, Roofe, Arfield, King, Devine

GOALS: Kent 47, Tavernier 53pen

BOOKINGS: Jack

CELTIC: Hart, Johnston, Taylor (Juranovic 21), Starfelt, Furuhashi, Carter-Vickers, O’Riley (Mooy 60), Maeda (Jota 78), Hatate, McGregor, Forrest (Abada 60)

SUBS: Bain, Kobayashi, Bernabei, Abilgaard

GOALS: Maeda 5, Furuhashi 88

BOOKINGS: McGregor

REF: John Beaton