Scottish Premiership
Saturday, May 11, 2024
Celtic Park, Rangers

CELTIC... 2
(O’Riley 35, OG Lundstram 38 )

RANGERS... 1
(Dessers 40)

Celtic are now six points clear at the top of the Scottish Premiership table after they defeated Rangers 2-1 at Celtic Park this afternoon (Saturday).

The atmosphere inside Celtic Park at kick-off was electric, as 60,000 Celtic supporters backed the team as they went in search of a win that would put them on the verge of the title.

It was almost the perfect start for the Hoops when James Forrest cut the ball back across goal from the right and watched as the ball was saved on the line by Jack Butland after a deflection.

Celtic’s fast start continued as Forrest had another two efforts on goal in the first 10 minutes of the match, one of which was tipped over the bar by the Rangers keeper.

The visitors’ first chance of the match came with 15 minutes on the clock when Fabio Silva drove in to the box and flashed a shot wide of the mark.

Celtic were by far the better team in the first half, and the chances kept coming for Brendan Rodgers’ men, with Callum McGregor coming up with two efforts of his own before Kyogo had his shot saved after Alistair Johnston found him in the box.

Celtic’s efforts paid off in the 35th minute when James Forrest, who was a thorn in Rangers’ side throughout the game, found his captain on the right wing.

McGregor twisted and turned before slipping the ball to O’Riley who fired it in to the bottom corner to send Celtic Park in to a state of euphoria.

The one-goal advantage was quickly doubled for the Celts after Cameron Carter-Vickers played a long ball to Daizen Maeda, who brought it down out of the sky effortlessly.

The forward, making his first start since returning from injury, flashed the ball in to the box where it ricocheted off John Lundstram, and the Rangers midfielder could only stop and stare as the ball trundled past Jack Butland to give the Celts a 2-0 lead.

The visitors grabbed a goal back a few moments later, Cyriel Dessers heading the ball in from a few yards out to make it 2-1.

However, Lundstram’s afternoon went from bad to worse when he was sent off just before half-time after his dreadful challenge on Alistair Johnston was reviewed by the video assistant and then by Willie Collum on the VAR monitor, with the yellow card upgraded to a red.

Derby day delight for Celtic as victory puts Hoops six points clear