2019-09-01: TheRangers 0-2 Celtic, SP

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Review

"We were an afterthought coming into this fixture. It was all about the opposition and what they were going to do to us. We didn’t listen to any of it. We stayed strong and played brilliantly. We came here to win." Neil Lennon

"We’ve been dominant. We’re not prepared to give up our titles and neither are these players or the board.” Neil Lennon

(Gastro C on Twitter)

(Timmy H of KDS)
Must admit I had my doubts going into the game, so I can't give out too much about those in the media predicting a Hun win. I'd have settled for a draw based on our patched-up defence with three men making their Ibrox debuts in front of a mere 800 of our own supporters.

Turns out they were all magnificent and the whole team were totally up for it. Once we matched their work-rate and commitment (and more so), our superior ability came through and turned it into a stroll. I think the Huns couldn't cope with the weight of expectation either.

Big Jules was awesome and Bitton continues to excel in there too. I thought they'd be in trouble with the one-twos they try to play in around the box to free Defoe but it never really happened and we largely restricted them to long balls we swallowed up.

Defoe looks pretty much a spent force – getting caught offside so often showed he doesn't trust his legs any more to get him into the box.

Just a wonderful result – all the better for it not being expected. And so important that we didn't let them get three wins in a row at Ibrox. Even a draw would have led to us going back later in the season not having won inour previous three or whatever….

Loved Lennon's reactions at the end and the fact you could hear the bench celebrating the Hayes goal against the silence of their mob.

Great scenes at the end and nice to have them stewing over that for a couple of weeks during the international break….

Teams

Rangers

• 1McGregor
• 2Tavernier
• 6Goldson
• 19Katic
• 15Flanagan
• 8Jack
• 10Davis
• 18Kamara Substituted for Ojo at 45'minutes
• 37ArfieldBooked at 89mins
• 9Defoe Substituted for Morelos at 60'minutes
• 17Aribo Substituted for Jones at 70'minutesBooked at 90mins
• Jones (Dismissed at 90'+6 minutes)

Substitutes

• 5Helander
• 11Ojo
• 13Foderingham
• 20Morelos
• 22Jones
• 29King
• 31Barisic

Celtic

• 67Forster
• 33Elhamed
• 2Jullien
• 6Bitton Substituted forBauerat 66'minutes
• 23Bolingoli-Mbombo
• 8Brown
• 42McGregor
• 49Forrest Substituted forNtchamat 66'minutes
• 17Christie
• 19Johnston Substituted forHayesat 84'minutesBooked at 90mins
• 22Edouard

Substitutes

1Gordon
9Griffiths
10Bayo
13Bauer
15Hayes
16Morgan
21Ntcham

Referee:
Bobby Madden
Attendance:
49,873

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Stats

Home Team
Rangers
Away Team
Celtic

Possession
Home60%
Away40%

Shots
Home9
Away13

Shots on Target
Home2
Away6

Corners
Home8
Away5

Fouls
Home13
Away10

Articles

Daily Record Prediction pre-match:

Rangers 0 – 2 Celtic: Edouard and Hayes earn visitors deserved win – Jones sent off for terrible challenge

Celtic won the first Old Firm meeting of the season. Picture: Craig Williamson/SNS

Stephen Halliday

Published: 14:24
Sunday 01 September 2019
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https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/celtic/rangers-0-2-celtic-edouard-and-hayes-earn-visitors-deserved-win-jones-sent-off-for-terrible-challenge-1-4995196
The balance of power in Scottish football remains firmly in Celtic’s control. On an afternoon of vindication for Neil Lennon as manager of the eight-in-a-row champions, Steven Gerrard was confronted by a sharp reminder of how much improvement is still required from Rangers if they hope to wrest domestic dominance away from their Old Firm rivals.

Just two and a half weeks ago, elements of the Celtic support were irrationally calling for Lennon’s head after the Champions League exit at the hands of Cluj. Fast forward to Sunday afternoon and the 800 travelling fans squeezed into a small corner of an otherwise crestfallen Ibrox were united in a chorus of ‘There’s only one Neil Lennon’ at full-time.

It was a fully merited victory for Lennon’s side against a Rangers side lacking both conviction and any clear sense of direction, not accusations which could be levelled at them previously this season. In contrast, Celtic were focused and tactically disciplined throughout.

Odsonne Edouard’s fifth goal in Old Firm combat gave them a 32nd minute lead they seldom looked like surrendering before Jonny Hayes’ stoppage-time strike wrapped up the points. Rangers’ wretched day was completed when Jordan Jones stupidly incurred a straight red card in the dying seconds.

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Having been outpressed as well as outplayed on both of their visits to Ibrox last season, Celtic were clearly determined to start on the front foot on this occasion. While Rangers were curiously passive for much of the first half, Celtic’s more vibrant approach fully merited the advantage provided by Edouard’s coolly taken breakthrough.
It was the visitors who were first to threaten, Ryan Christie lofting a shot over from around 22 yards, as Lennon’s men set about the task of imposing the kind of authority in midfield they had so glaringly lacked in those two previous defeats in Govan.
Jermain Defoe’s inclusion ahead of Alfredo Morelos in attack for Rangers was a surprise in the eyes of many of the home support, although Gerrard’s rotation of his strikers has been a regular feature since the start of the campaign.
For much of the opening 45 minutes, Defoe found himself feeding on scraps although it required a fine penalty box interception from Hatem Elhamed to prevent the veteran former England international getting on the end of an incisive pass from Scott Arfield in the ninth minute.

From the resulting corner curled in by Steven Davis, Nikola Katic might have done better than head over from the edge of the six yard box.
But without cutting Rangers open too often at the other end, it was Celtic who continued to look the likelier side. Momentary hesitation from Edouard on the edge of the penalty area saw him denied a clear shooting opportunity by Connor Goldson’s timely challenge.
As Celtic continued to probe, Edouard curled a free-kick wide of Allan McGregor’s right hand post after Glen Kamara, looking well off the pace, had fouled Christie around 25 yards out.
Referee Bobby Madden seemed determined to resist flourishing his cards for as long as possible. Callum McGregor and Ryan Jack were both extremely fortunate to escape first half bookings for wild challenges on Arfield and Boli Bolingoli respectively.

Celtic’s opener was a personal calamity for Goldson, the big central defender under no great pressure when he gave the ball away to Mikey Johnston. The young Celtic winger seized upon the error with eagerness and intelligence, threading a fine pass into the path of Edouard on the left of the penalty area. The French striker displayed customary composure as he slipped his shot under the advancing McGregor.

Rangers made a change at the start of the second half, Kamara unsurprisingly the man to make way as he was replaced by Sheyi Ojo in a bid to bring greater width and pace in the attacking third. But although the hosts dominated possession for much of the second period, they did little to trouble the assured Celtic backline.
Nir Bitton, a calming presence in central defence until he suffered an injury and was replaced by debutant Moritz Bauer midway through the second half, made a smart block to deny Defoe inside the area. Fraser Forster was enjoying as stress-free a reintroduction to this fixture as he could have hoped for, although the big Celtic goalkeeper did make something of a meal of it when he scrambled an Ojo shot behind for a corner.
It was a rare effort on target from Rangers and the impatient home support welcomed the introduction of Morelos for Defoe on the hour mark. The Colombian quickly found his way in behind the Celtic defence, only to wildly blaze his shot wide.
It was McGregor who was the busier goalkeeper in the closing stages as Celtic regularly threatened on the counter attack. He made a terrific double save, keeping out efforts from Elhamed and Christopher Jullien, as Rangers struggled to clear a couple of corner kicks.

Edouard nodded over after McGregor had blocked a poorly struck effort from substitute Olivier Ntcham and even when six minutes of stoppage time were signalled, there was little sense that Rangers would be able to take advantage of them.
Instead, it was Celtic who sealed their hugely satisfying afternoon with their second goal three minutes into the additional period. Ntcham and Edouard combined sharply as Rangers were again caught on the counter, substitute Hayes applying the finishing touch from close range after his first attempt had been blocked by McGregor.
Madden had managed to last until the 90th minute before issuing his first booking of the day but in the last minute of stoppage time, he had no option but to reach straight for his red card when Rangers substitute Jones committed a foolish and futile high challenge on Bauer.

BBC

Rangers 0-2 Celtic: Neil Lennon says side 'sent message' to detractors

From the section Celtic

Highlights: Rangers 0-2 Celtic

Celtic "sent a real message" to their detractors and the rest of Scotland with victory over Rangers at Ibrox, according to manager Neil Lennon.

Some bookmakers, pundits and fans had made Steven Gerrard's side favourites for the season's first Old Firm derby.

However, goals by Odsonne Edouard and Jonny Hayes earned Celtic a fourth victory in four Scottish Premiership games this season.

"Everybody was writing us off, the experts," Lennon told BBC Scotland.

"If you believed all the hype, we shouldn't have turned up today. We've kept our counsel, we've stayed calm and we've put in a brilliant performance."

Celtic lost both their visits to Ibrox last season, but Edouard's first-half goal and a late breakaway from Hayes gave them a deserved win as Rangers failed to convert greater possession into clear chances.

"It was an outstanding team performance from start to finish," Lennon said. "As a team we competed brilliantly, which is something we haven't done here in the last two fixtures.

"I thought we were magnificent. We came, we played and we sent a real message out to the rest of the country and it sets up our European season and domestic season brilliantly."
Celtic graphic
'Signings showed great character'

Lennon said that if it had not been for Rangers goalkeeper Allan McGregor, his side could have won by more.

He also picked out captain Scott Brown and fellow midfielders Callum McGregor and Ryan Christie for praise, along with summer signings Boli Bolingoli, Christopher Jullien and Hatem Elhamed.

"I thought Scott really was outstanding in that first half and set the tempo, and he had great support from McGregor and Christie – their work-rate was fantastic after a big game on Thursday," Lennon said.

"The back four played outstandingly well – players who have already been written off. Bolingoli and Jullien were magnificent and showed great character and we looked very comfortable at 1-0."

Lennon lost Kristoffer Ajer to injury before kick-off and Nir Bitton – who had been filling in again at centre-half – during the second half.

"We had to patch it up a bit," the manager added. "Moritz Bauer has only come in the last couple of days, but he did a job when he came on, and Elhamed was outstanding considering he had been out."

BBC

By Alasdair Lamont

BBC Scotland

From the section Scottish Premiership

Highlights: Rangers 0-2 Celtic

Celtic ended Rangers' 12-game unbeaten run and moved three points clear at the top of the Scottish Premiership with victory in a frantic Old Firm contest.

Neil Lennon's side had lost their past two derbies at Ibrox, but a makeshift defence thwarted Rangers' attempts to win for a third time in four meetings.

Odsonne Edouard netted his fifth goal in seven games against Rangers just after the half-hour, then Jonny Hayes rolled in after a stoppage-time counter-attack before Jordan Jones was sent off for a lunge on Moritz Bauer.

It was just a second defeat in 19 games for Steven Gerrard's side and the first time in six Old Firm games that the home side have failed to win.

For Celtic, it is a fifth consecutive league victory since their loss at Ibrox in May as they attempt to win a ninth title in a row.

Celtic 'sent message' to detractors – Lennon
'I'm part of why we lost' – Gerrard
What were the factors behind Celtic's win?

Odsonne Edouard slides Celtic in front
Odsonne Edouard slid Celtic in front with his fifth goal in seven Old Firm appearances
Meek Rangers bossed by composed Celtic

Rangers had won both of last season's Old Firm fixtures at Ibrox by pressing Celtic so high and so energetically that the champions buckled. But the opposite was true on this occasion as Lennon's side bossed the midfield battle and remained steadfast and composed in defence, nullifying the threat from their hosts.

In truth, there was little to commend the game until Edouard burst into life to open the scoring.

Connor Goldson was guilty of an awful pass forward, gifting possession to Michael Johnston, who still had plenty to do, driving towards the Rangers penalty area before slipping the ball to the Frenchman. He showed trademark composure to slide the ball under the advancing Rangers goalkeeper and send the 800 or so visiting fans into raptures.

The goal was the game's first effort on target but it took Rangers almost an hour to mount a meaningful response as half-time substitute Sheyi Ojo forced Fraser Forster to turn the ball around a post.

Rangers threw on Alfredo Morelos and Jones in an effort to rescue at least a point but it was Allan McGregor in the home goal who had to look lively to keep close-range efforts from Hatem Elhamed and Christopher Jullien out with his feet in quick succession.

The home side forced a series of corners but could not test Forster again – meekly slipping to a first defeat since the final day of last season.
Rangers substitute Jordan Jones was dismissed in stoppage-time for a lunge on Moritz Bauer
Rangers substitute Jordan Jones was dismissed in stoppage-time for a lunge on Moritz Bauer

If that result had been in any doubt, Hayes' late strike ended it. Edouard and Olivier Ntcham combined to release the substitute, who was denied at first by McGregor only to hammer in the rebound with the keeper grounded.

Rangers' misery was compounded by Jones' late red card for scything down debutant Bauer – a reckless, ill-disciplined act from the winger.

Until then referee Bobby Madden had showed great leniency, letting Callum McGregor and Ryan Jack off with bad challenges as well as a incidence of simulation from McGregor. Indeed, it took until 90th minute for the official to show a card. Scott Arfield and Hayes went into the book for late infringements, but controversy – like quality football – was largely absent.

Celtic, though, underlined their determination to make it nine in a row, comfortably seeing off their closest rivals.
Man of the match – Odsonne Edouard

He loves this fixture and his decisive strike – his fifth in seven Old Firm games – was a masterclass in cool finishing, having peeled off his marker to collect Johnston's pass.

He kept Goldson and Nikola Katic occupied throughout and had his say in the build-up to the second goal as well.
'Celtic deserved to win' – analysis
Neil Lennon

Former Celtic goalkeeper Pat Bonner on Sportsound

I thought Celtic handled the game very well. Rangers took the game to them, but Celtic defended very well. I thought Jullien was immense and even contributed to the second goal.

Former Rangers striker Billy Dodds on Sportsound

Celtic deserved to win. Rangers did everything they could. The effort was there, but their quality didn't show up at key times. You could see Scott Brown had a point to prove and he did that.

Lineups are announced and players are warming up