Celtic will have to wait to be officially crowned Scottish Premiership champions for the 2024/25 season after Ianis Hagi’s dramatic injury-time equaliser earned Rangers a 2-2 draw against Aberdeen at Pittodrie.
Brendan Rodgers’ team had been poised to clinch the title without kicking a ball, with Aberdeen on the brink of a famous victory that would have sealed a fourth successive league championship for Celtic.
But Hagi’s last-gasp strike ensured the celebrations were put on hold — for now.
It had been an afternoon to remember in the Granite City as Jimmy Thelin’s Aberdeen produced a spirited performance to overpower Barry Ferguson’s much-changed Rangers side and all but end their slim hopes of catching their Glasgow rivals.
Leighton Clarkson's sublime free-kick had Aberdeen in the ascendancy just after the half-hour mark. And the Dons were deserving of their lead.
Rangers' task became even harder when Ross McCausland was shown a straight red card five minutes before the break, leaving the visitors to battle with ten men for more than half the match.
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Aberdeen made the most of their advantage, with Pape Gueye adding a second prior to half-time, building on a strong first-half display.
Rangers, however, fought back after the restart, with Hamza Igamane pulling one back on 49 minutes to set up a tense second half.
Kevin Nisbet looked to have settled the contest late on when he fired home a third for Aberdeen, only for VAR to intervene and rule the goal out for handball.
That appeared unlikely to spoil the party given 88 minutes had come and gone.
Thelin’s men still seemed set to claim all three points — and hand Celtic the title — until Hagi popped up in the sixth minute of stoppage time with a clinical finish from distance to salvage a dramatic point for Rangers and delay Celtic’s coronation.
Celtic still hold a 15 point advantage with only five games remaining.
