Celtic reaffirmed their dominance in the Scottish Premiership, bringing an end to Rangers’ 16-match undefeated streak under manager Philippe Clement in an enthralling Old Firm derby.
Paulo Bernardo unleashed a powerful half-volley just before halftime, giving Brendan Rodgers’ team the lead in a lively Celtic Park filled exclusively with home supporters, as an action-packed first half swiftly unfolded.
Two minutes into the second half, Kyogo Furuhashi delivered another exquisite goal, doubling the lead and extending his impressive goal-scoring streak against Rangers to seven goals in 11 derbies.
Rangers faced the final 30 minutes with 10 players following Leon Balogun’s expulsion for bringing down Daizen Maeda as he charged toward the goal.
Despite this setback, Rangers’ captain James Tavernier set the stage for a tense conclusion with a remarkable free-kick into the top corner in the 88th minute.
Eleven minutes of intense injury time followed, but Celtic managed to secure the victory, establishing an eight-point lead at the top. It’s worth noting that Rangers have two games in hand, and one more round of games remains before the winter break.
Entering this derby, Clement’s team carried momentum, having secured the Viaplay Cup, progressed to the Europa League’s last 16, and narrowed Celtic’s lead in the Premiership over 16 games under the Belgian manager.
However, once again, they stumbled against their arch-rivals. Despite being offered numerous chances on the counter against a makeshift Celtic defense, they failed to capitalize.
The criticized Cyriel Dessers seized on a defensive error but took too much time to set up for a shot, squandering a golden opportunity in the first half. Both Todd Cantwell and Ross McCausland tested Joe Hart in the Celtic goal but made incorrect decisions in the final third, contributing to Celtic’s defensive disarray after taking the lead.
Rangers also had a potential penalty claim when Alistair Johnston handled the ball while contending with Abdallah Sima in the box. However, subsequent replays revealed that Sima was offside in the build-up anyway.
Nevertheless, it was once again Celtic who demonstrated the necessary quality in crucial moments of the derby. Paulo Bernardo’s powerful strike and Kyogo’s skillfully curled finish from the edge of the box were fitting to secure victory in such a pivotal game.
James Tavernier’s late attempt was characteristically brilliant, as he skillfully bent the ball away from the outstretched Hart from the left corner of the box. However, its ultimate impact was merely forcing Celtic to work hard for their win.