THE spirited fightback that Rangers staged against Celtic at Hampden last month earned them a place in the Scottish Cup final and killed off their city rivals’ hopes of completing a domestic treble this season.
The late rally which the Ibrox club produced against the cinch Premiership leaders at Parkhead yesterday, while unexpected, admirable and impressive, has simply delayed the inevitable.
The way that Ange Postecoglou’s team has faded towards the end of the last two Old Firm matches has given some fans of Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side hope they may stumble during the league run-in and suffer a catastrophic late collapse.
But this result just means the Premier Sports Cup winners have to wait a little longer to be crowned Scottish champions.
Callum McGregor and his fellow Celtic players dominated long periods of the final derby encounter between the two age-old adversaries this term and could have wrapped up a win which would have effectively, if not arithmetically, sewn up the title had they been more clinical in the final third.
Daizen Maeda had two gilt-edged opportunities to net, just before half-time and early in the second-half. But he was unable to show the same ruthlessness as his team mate Jota, who had turned his delivery into the six yard box beyond Allan McGregor in the first-half, had. That profligacy up front allowed the visitors to claw their way back in to proceedings.
It had been much the same story in the semi-final a fortnight earlier after Greg Taylor gave Postecoglou’s charges a deserved lead. On that occasion, Cameron Carter-Vicker’s inability to convert a chance from six yards out proved fatal.
Nothing should be taken away from Van Bronckhorst’s men. They had been involved in a mentally and physically draining Europa League semi-final against RB Leipzig in Germany on Thursday night. But they looked far fresher in the closing stages and could easily have come from behind to triumph once again.
Fashion Sakala levelled in the second-half following good work by Scott Arfield, Scott Wright and Ryan Kent. Joe Hart then denied Arfield brilliantly after the midfielder got on the end of a Wright cut back. Sakala burst through on goal and then hit the post. There were other half-chances too.
The pocket of Rangers fans who had been shoehorned into a tiny corner of the stadium applauded and cheered their heroes off the park at the end of the 90 minutes. However, the holders needed to triumph yesterday to stand any chance of retaining their trophy and they failed to do so.
Celtic remain six points clear of their nearest challengers. But there are now just three games remaining. If they beat Hearts at home on Saturday it will, due to their vastly superior goal difference, be impossible to catch them. And a win over Dundee United at Tannadice on Wednesday week will put them out of sight.
Rangers had a big task ahead of them before kick-off. They had to end their rivals 26 game unbeaten domestic run at home – Celtic last lost at Parkhead to Scottish opponents way back on January 30 last year when St Mirren won 2-1 in the Premiership - to keep alive their prospects of finishing first.
Postecoglou, whose men had romped to an emphatic 3-0 triumph over their age-old adversaries in the East End of Glasgow back in February, had never suffered a home league defeat in the famous old stadium too.
James Tavernier and his team mates started strongly and should have taken the lead in the 13th minute. Kent met a Tavernier delivery from the right with a first-time volley in the opposition area. However, the winger’s attempt was well wide of the left post.
It was not a day for Rangers to be passing up opportunities like that and they paid the price for that glaring miss in the final third eight minutes later when Celtic scored with their first meaningful attack.
Taylor fed Maeda on the edge of the Rangers penalty box and his team mate turned and ghosted past Connor Goldson before squaring to Jota. The wide man got himself ahead of Borna Barisic at the back post and fired beyond Allan McGregor with the outside of his right boot.
The Benfica loanee’s strike raised the roof inside the stadium and visibly lifted his side. He nearly doubled Celtic’s lead in the 32nd minute when Reo Hatate found him with a cross. His diving header, though, sailed over the crossbar.
The industrious Maeda was inches away from netting shortly before half-time after being supplied by Jota. But Postecoglou would have been a happy man at half-time. His team were in complete control and their opponents were struggling to lay a glove on them.
Goldson fired over and Sakala headed wide at a Tavernier corners early in the second-half. But Celtic responded and Maeda should have doubled their lead when he just had McGregor to beat following some patient built-up play.
Celtic retained the ball for long spells without testing McGregor. But the home support were enjoying the swagger their heroes were displaying and it looked only a matter of time before they forged further in front. It was a shock when Rangers equalised in the 67th minute. All of a sudden, the top flight leaders had a game on their hands. They were fortunate to survive an onslaught and pick up a point for their efforts.
Amad Diallo came on Arfield late on and picked up a booking from referee John Beaton within seconds for bringing down Liel Abada as he raced through on the Rangers goal. Jota shelled the free-kick high into the stands and it finished 1-1. The Premiership is as good as done too.
