Antoine Fortune nets winner to seal Old Firm victory...
Celtic 2-1 Rangers: Line-ups & stats
Celtic made the strongest possible case for interim manager Neil Lennon to remain in the Parkhead hot seat with victory over their fierce Old Firm rivals Rangers, giving the home fans something to cheer in what has been a turbulent season.
Rangers had problems early on as goalkeeper Allan McGregor was forced from the field with only three minutes gone, after falling badly following a Celtic corner. As a result, the Scotland goalkeeper was replaced by the experienced Neil Alexander.
Alexander’s first piece of action was to pick the ball out of the net as a Lee Naylor free-kick deflected off Rangers skipper David Weir, leaving the substitute stranded and the champions a goal down.
Rangers first chance of the match came after 10 minutes, when Kenny Miller raced down the left-hand side and swung a ball in to the feet of Kyle Lafferty, but unfortunately for the Ulsterman he could only put the ball wide.
Both sides continued to press each other and the game possessed a typical fast paced tempo that you would expect with an Old Firm fixture, as both teams, with makeshift defensive lines, looked to keep eachother at bay, while trying to go forward at break neck speed.
Lennon’s side continued to push forward and gained a greater foothold of the game halfway through the first half when firstly Aiden McGeady had a chance on the left-hand side of the Rangers box.
Then Hoops skipper Scott Brown had a shot in the area blocked by the visitors defence but that did not stop the Parkhead side from continuing their charge forward as they looked to put Alexander under even more pressure.
Just before half-time, against the run of play, the champions managed to get back on level terms when an expertly placed cross from Steven Whittaker landed at the head of Miller, who powered the ball beyond Artur Boruc in the Celtic goal.
Within seconds of that goal, the home side got their noses back in front, when scorer of the first goal, Naylor, played a pinpoint cross to the head of Marc-Antoine Fortune, who rose above Steven Smith and headed the ball through the legs of the helpless Alexander.
Rangers then went back up the field and could have levelled, when a mistake from Darren O’Dea gave Maurice Edu the ball in the Celtic box, but the Scottish Players Player of the Year could only look on in agony as his strike landed with the home support behind the goal.
Ten minutes into the second half Rangers had a great chance to get back on level terms as Miller beat two home defenders but he could only watch as the ball was diverted wide. After that incident, it was Celtic’s turn to lose their goalkeeper as Boruc was forced from the field with a broken finger, to be replaced by Lukasz Zaluska.
Minutes later, Robbie Keane, who had been anonymous throughout the game, had a chance to get his first Old Firm goal, but the on-loan Tottenham striker struck tamely into the arms of Alexander in the Rangers goal.
The game quietened down, mainly as a result of Walter Smith’s change in formation, as he moved Lafferty into a midfield role, leaving Miller on his own up front.
That tactic nearly paid dividends, as Miller got on the end of a Whittaker cross, but could only put it wide. Then moments later he shot over the bar after a pass from Edu set him up on the edge of the area.
Celtic should have gone further in front when a Naylor corner was headed back into the middle by Wilson, but Scott Brown could not put his headed effort on target.
The home side were once again forced to make a change due to an injury, when the scorer of the first goal, Naylor, had to leave the field to be replaced by on-loan Dutch left-back Edson Braafheid.
The best chance of the second half fell to Rangers, as Davis powerfully struck from just outside the area but Zaluska was up to the challenge as he palmed the ball away to safety to keep the home side in the lead.
That lead could have been extended when substitute Giorgios Samaras lashed a shot just over Alexander’s bar after he had expertly got away from Weir to make space for the strike.
The SPL champions should have gone level, when firstly substitute Nacho Novo’s strike hit the arm of Darren O’Dea then Miller’s rebound cannoned back off the post to keep the Parkhead side in front.
McGeady nearly sealed the three points with a minute of normal time remaining, as he beat two Rangers defenders but could only put the ball over the bar.
At the start of injury time, the first red card of the game was shown, when Lee McCulloch lunged towards McGeady to earn his second yellow and an early bath as the action subsided in what had been a fast and furious Old Firm derby.
Become a fan of Goal.com UK's Facebook fan page for all the latest news and insight into everything related to the beautiful game!
Rangers had problems early on as goalkeeper Allan McGregor was forced from the field with only three minutes gone, after falling badly following a Celtic corner. As a result, the Scotland goalkeeper was replaced by the experienced Neil Alexander.
Alexander’s first piece of action was to pick the ball out of the net as a Lee Naylor free-kick deflected off Rangers skipper David Weir, leaving the substitute stranded and the champions a goal down.
Rangers first chance of the match came after 10 minutes, when Kenny Miller raced down the left-hand side and swung a ball in to the feet of Kyle Lafferty, but unfortunately for the Ulsterman he could only put the ball wide.
Both sides continued to press each other and the game possessed a typical fast paced tempo that you would expect with an Old Firm fixture, as both teams, with makeshift defensive lines, looked to keep eachother at bay, while trying to go forward at break neck speed.
Lennon’s side continued to push forward and gained a greater foothold of the game halfway through the first half when firstly Aiden McGeady had a chance on the left-hand side of the Rangers box.
Then Hoops skipper Scott Brown had a shot in the area blocked by the visitors defence but that did not stop the Parkhead side from continuing their charge forward as they looked to put Alexander under even more pressure.
Just before half-time, against the run of play, the champions managed to get back on level terms when an expertly placed cross from Steven Whittaker landed at the head of Miller, who powered the ball beyond Artur Boruc in the Celtic goal.
Within seconds of that goal, the home side got their noses back in front, when scorer of the first goal, Naylor, played a pinpoint cross to the head of Marc-Antoine Fortune, who rose above Steven Smith and headed the ball through the legs of the helpless Alexander.
Rangers then went back up the field and could have levelled, when a mistake from Darren O’Dea gave Maurice Edu the ball in the Celtic box, but the Scottish Players Player of the Year could only look on in agony as his strike landed with the home support behind the goal.
Ten minutes into the second half Rangers had a great chance to get back on level terms as Miller beat two home defenders but he could only watch as the ball was diverted wide. After that incident, it was Celtic’s turn to lose their goalkeeper as Boruc was forced from the field with a broken finger, to be replaced by Lukasz Zaluska.
Minutes later, Robbie Keane, who had been anonymous throughout the game, had a chance to get his first Old Firm goal, but the on-loan Tottenham striker struck tamely into the arms of Alexander in the Rangers goal.
The game quietened down, mainly as a result of Walter Smith’s change in formation, as he moved Lafferty into a midfield role, leaving Miller on his own up front.
That tactic nearly paid dividends, as Miller got on the end of a Whittaker cross, but could only put it wide. Then moments later he shot over the bar after a pass from Edu set him up on the edge of the area.
Celtic should have gone further in front when a Naylor corner was headed back into the middle by Wilson, but Scott Brown could not put his headed effort on target.
The home side were once again forced to make a change due to an injury, when the scorer of the first goal, Naylor, had to leave the field to be replaced by on-loan Dutch left-back Edson Braafheid.
The best chance of the second half fell to Rangers, as Davis powerfully struck from just outside the area but Zaluska was up to the challenge as he palmed the ball away to safety to keep the home side in the lead.
That lead could have been extended when substitute Giorgios Samaras lashed a shot just over Alexander’s bar after he had expertly got away from Weir to make space for the strike.
The SPL champions should have gone level, when firstly substitute Nacho Novo’s strike hit the arm of Darren O’Dea then Miller’s rebound cannoned back off the post to keep the Parkhead side in front.
McGeady nearly sealed the three points with a minute of normal time remaining, as he beat two Rangers defenders but could only put the ball over the bar.
At the start of injury time, the first red card of the game was shown, when Lee McCulloch lunged towards McGeady to earn his second yellow and an early bath as the action subsided in what had been a fast and furious Old Firm derby.
Become a fan of Goal.com UK's Facebook fan page for all the latest news and insight into everything related to the beautiful game!
