2025-05-04: TheRangers 1-1 Celtic, SP

Match Pictures | Matches: 2024 – 2025

Trivia

KO: 12:00; Sunday, Sky Sports, League Match 35
Last meeting between the sides for this season.
Celtic on 85pts +80GD, Sevco second 66pts & +33GD. Hibs third on 56pts, Aberdeen on 53pts.
Schemichel, Kuhn, Jota out injured.
Celtic had already sealed the league title last weekend and still on course for potential treble. Sevco out of all competitions. This game was a dead rubber but some saw it as notable as both sides had two wins in the Glasgow derby games so far this season. With the draw, it ended all square.
Sevco condemned the behaviour of a fan who threw a glass bottle and say they will take action against the supporter. During the second half an empty Buckfast bottle was thrown on to the pitch, close to the goal being defended by Viljami Sinisalo.
Sevco now failed to win at Ibrox for the seventh straight fixture, an unwelcome run that has never happened before.
Celtic planning for home summer friendly against Newcastle United in July.
Reports: Ex-Celt Steven Pressley in line to become Hearts manager. Liverpool and Arsenal are among a host of EPL clubs showing interest in Daizen Maeda. Celtic are to release goalkeeper Joe Morrison, defender Alasdair Davidson and striker Lewis Dobbie from their youth squad in the summer (none of whom made a first team appearance). Daniel Cummings also expected to move on.
SFA updates its gender policy in order to ban transgender women competing in women’s football. From next season, only those born biologically female will be allowed to take part in competitive matches in the women’s game. Currently none anyhow.
The SPFL’s Competitions Working Group convened on April 29 to deliberate potential league restructuring. However, they concluded that there is “no reasonable prospect of achieving consensus” regarding changes to the Scottish Premiership’s format.
Celtic announce extension of partnership with Adidas continuing as the official kit supplier, ten year extension! Incredible!
Celtic store: new Queen Street store to replace the existing store on Argyle Street.
Celtic received £874,000 from European governing body Uefa for players called up to international duty, the largest payout in Scotland.
Former Celtic midfielder David Turnbull faces significant uncertainty following Cardiff City’s relegation to English third tier.
New Celtic home top for next season unveiled online by club.
Jota will be missing from Celtic action for a period of 6-9 months with a knee injury, a bitter blow to his progress following a return to the club in January.
Celtic forward Daizen Maeda is the PFA Scotland player of the year while Falkirk’s John McGlynn has won the managers’ award for the second year running (ahead of potential treble winning Rodgers!!!).
CELTIC PLAYER OF THE YEAR AWARD WINNERS
- Academy Player of the Year: Kyle Ure
- Young Player of the Year: Arne Engels
- Women’s Goal of the Season: Shannon McGregor v FC Gintra
- Men’s Goal of the Season: Cameron Carter-Vickers v Kilmarnock
- Special Recognition Award: James Forrest
- Women’s Players’ Player of the Year: Ceyla Barclais
- Men’s Players’ Player of the Year: Daizen Maeda
- Women’s Top Goalscorer of the Year: Saoirse Noonan
- Men’s Top Goalscorer of the Year: Daizen Maeda
- Women’s Player of the Year: Shannon McGregor
- Men’s Player of the Year: Daizen Maeda
- Men’s Players’ Player of the Year

Summary

Brendan Rodgers prematch:”This is a game which is all about pride. We’ve proved our point over the course of this season in terms of our performance level and consistency. I think the challenge in these games is that we’ve been so comfortable going into the games and I felt that has really disrupted our mindset. ‘When it was win or bust in the cup final, we won it because that’s it.’ In these games we’ve been so comfortable, and even though you’re pushing – I know what these games mean to supporters and what it means to myself and the club.”

“I don’t know how it would be if it was on the other foot.. we’ll never really know I don’t think.”
Luke McCowan weighs in humorously on Sevco not giving Celtic a guard of honour (not that we’re asking for one) (May 2025)

El Salto of KDS: At half time I thought we were toast, we’d been poor in possession, under hitting passes, weak physically and despite what some are saying, including the manager, we didn’t look comfortable.
These games can be fine margins though, Idah should have scored at one end, they go up the park and score at the other. I think our heads were already in the dressing room.
Second half we were much better, passed it around them, carried a threat, but didn’t really create a lot. The equaliser was deserved, despite the hun linesman’s attempt to chalk it off (funny how he didn’t see Raskin offside in the first half when he clearly was).
Overall, despite the second half improvement, I thought we underperformed, we had too many players off it (Engels, Scales, Taylor etc), and when you add the injuries to the equation it probably shouldn’t be a surprise we weren’t at our best.
The selective refereeing was so obvious, he refereed us to a different standard, we aren’t allowed to challenge, be physical etc. The huns just fall down and he gives them the free every time.
Take the point, but we should have scored right at the death, if Daizen felt he’d ran his race he should have squared it to Kenny.
As for their pre match banner, the bottles on the pitch and their song sheet, when the feck are the beaks going to sanction them?
Anyway, drawing is better than losing, although I’m a bit miffed we couldn’t step up to the plate and give them a going over.

Teams

Celtic

Manager: Brendan Rodgers

Formation: 4 – 3 – 3

12 V. Sinisalo
03 G. Taylor, subbed for J. Schlupp at 79mins
05 L. Scales
20 C. Carter-Vickers
56 A. Ralston
41 R. Hatate
42 C. McGregor (c), Captain
27 A. Engels, subbed for Paulo Bernardo at 63mins
38 D. Maeda
09 A. Idah, subbed for J. Kenny at 83mins
49 J. Forrest, subbed for Yang Hyun-Jun at 63mins

Subs:

29 S. Bain
28 Paulo Bernardo
24 J. Kenny 90′, Yellow Card at 90mins
62 S. McArdle
14 L. McCowan
17 M. Nawrocki
15 J. Schlupp
06 A. Trusty
13 Yang Hyun-Jun

Goals:A. Idah (57′)

Assists:D. Maeda (57′)

TheRangers

Manager: Barry Ferguson

Formation: 4 – 3 – 3

31 L. Kelly
22 Jefté
27 L. Balogun
05 J. Souttar
02 J. Tavernier (c), Captain
43 N. Raskin
08 C. Barron
10 M. Diomandé, subbed for Danilo at 93mins
09 C. Dessers
14 N. Bajrami, subbed for I. Hagi at 66mins, subbed for B. Rice at 83mins
18 V. Černý, subbed for H. Igamane at 66mins

Subs:

01 J. Butland
07 Ó. Cortés
30 I. Hagi
29 H. Igamane
24 N. Kasanwirjo
45 R. McCausland
19 C. Nsiala
99 Danilo
49 B. Rice 88′, Yellow Card at 88mins

Goals:C. Dessers (44′)

Assists:M. Diomandé (44′)

Referee Nick Walsh
Video Assistant Referee Andrew Dallas
Assistant Referee 1 Frank Connor
Assistant Referee 2 Dougie Potter
Fourth Official Kevin Clancy
Assistant VAR Official Andrew McWilliam

Venue:Ibrox Stadium
Attendance:49,883

Articles

Match Report (see below)

Pictures

Match Pictures

Match Links

Stats

Overall possession
Rangers 39.9% Celtic 60.1%

Shots
Rangers 13 Celtic 7

Shots on target
Rangers 4 Celtic 3

Total touches inside the box
Rangers 20 Celtic 31

Goalkeeper saves
Rangers 2 Celtic 3

Fouls
Rangers 9 Celtic 18

Corners
Rangers 5 Celtic 6

Advanced match stats
Shots
Rangers 13 Celtic 7

Shots on target
Rangers 4 Celtic 3

Shots off target
Rangers 7 Celtic 1

Blocked shots
Rangers 2 Celtic 3

Attempts out of box
Rangers 3 Celtic 2

Hit woodwork
Rangers 1 Celtic 0

Total offside
Rangers 3 Celtic 2

Total tackles
Rangers 18 Celtic 15

Won tackles
Rangers 10 Celtic 9

Fouls
Rangers 9 Celtic 18

Total yellow cards
Rangers 1 Celtic 1

Total clearances
Rangers 24 Celtic 39

Headed clearances
Rangers 6 Celtic 26

Duels won
Rangers 57 Celtic 39

Errors leading to shots
Rangers 0 Celtic 1

Total passes
Rangers 319 Celtic 486

Accurate passes
Rangers 249 Celtic 416

Backward passes
Rangers 43 Celtic 84

Forward passes
Rangers 117 Celtic 145

Total long balls
Rangers 55 Celtic 48

Successful final third passes
Rangers 59 Celtic 97

Total crosses
Rangers 19 Celtic 21

Touches
Rangers 508 Celtic 680

Touches in the box
Rangers 20 Celtic 31

Dispossessed
Rangers 4 Celtic 7

Goalkeeper saves
Rangers 2 Celtic 3

Diving saves
Rangers 1 Celtic 1

Saved shots from inside the box
Rangers 2 Celtic 2

Saved shots from outside the box
Rangers 0 Celtic 1

Keeper throws
Rangers 2 Celtic 6

Goal kicks
Rangers 4 Celtic 8

PreMatch
Rangers have won both of their last two league games against Celtic, last winning three in a row over their rivals in January 2021. The Gers had won just one of their previous 12 against the Hoops (D3 L8) prior to their last two successive wins.

After their 3-0 defeat in January, Celtic could lose two away league games against Rangers in a season for the first time since 2020-21, which was the last season they failed to win the Scottish Premiership.

The side scoring first has only lost one of their last 26 league Old Firm derbies between Rangers and Celtic (W21 D4), with that a 2-1 defeat for Rangers at home in April 2022. In the last five league matches between the two clubs, the opener has been scored within the opening seven minutes.

Rangers have conceded at least two goals in each of their last eight league games (17 goals conceded overall). The last Scottish top-flight side to concede 2+ goals more times in a row were Gretna from February to April 2008 (10).
Celtic have a goal difference of +80 in this season’s Scottish Premiership (102 scored, 22 conceded). In their league history, only in 1915-16 (+93), 1935-36 (+82), 1967-68 (+92), and 2016-17 (+81) have they ever had a better difference between goals scored and conceded at the end of a campaign.

After guiding them to a 3-2 win in March, Barry Ferguson could become the first ever Rangers manager to win both of his first two league meetings with Celtic in charge of the club.

Articles

Adam Idah produces equaliser for Celtic to deny Rangers third straight Old Firm win

https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/scottish/adam-idah-produces-equaliser-for-celtic-to-deny-rangers-third-straight-old-firm-win/a1978380224.html
Rangers 1 Celtic 1

Anthony Brown
©Press Association
Today at 15:07

Celtic striker Adam Idah scored a second-half equaliser to deny Rangers a third successive Old Firm derby triumph in a 1-1 William Hill Premiership draw at Ibrox.

Rangers looked well-placed to follow up their victories from January and March over Brendan Rodgers’ newly crowned champions when Cyriel Dessers struck just before the break.

But Idah hit back to make it six games in a row without a victory in all competitions for Rangers, who have now won just four of their 12 games under interim boss Barry Ferguson and none at home since February 2.
Ferguson made four changes to the team that started the 2-2 draw at St Mirren and switched to a midfield diamond as Clinton Nsiala, Robin Propper, Bailey Rice and Hamza Igamane made way for Leon Balogun, Connor Barron, Nedim Bajrami and Vaclav Cerny.

There were three enforced changes to the Celtic side who started the title-clinching 5-0 victory at Dundee United, with injured trio Alistair Johnston, Nicolas Kuhn and Jota replaced by Anthony Ralston, Adam Idah and James Forrest.

As had been indicated by the hosts in the build-up, there was no guard of honour from the Rangers players for their triumphant Celtic counterparts, but the title winners were roared onto the pitch by around 2,100 of their own supporters – the first time away fans were in attendance at a derby at Ibrox since the 2-2 draw in January 2023.

Rangers made a strong start and almost opened the scoring in the first minute when Balogun headed James Tavernier’s corner off the top of the bar. Cerny then saw a powerful deflected strike tipped over by Viljami Sinisalo before the Celtic keeper got down to block a Nicolas Raskin header from another Tavernier delivery.

Celtic started to grow into the game as the half wore on and Cameron Carter-Vickers saw a header from Arne Engels’ corner pushed over by Liam Kelly in the 33rd minute.

The Rangers goalkeeper had to make another save to deny Idah in the 43rd minute after the striker ran onto Reo Hatate’s pass and got himself clean through on goal.

It proved a pivotal moment as the home side took the lead a minute later. Mohamed Diomande drove forward and his pass into the box was dummied by Cerny for Dessers, who held off Liam Scales and slotted a low finish past Sinisalo from just outside the six-yard box.

Celtic got themselves level in the 56th minute. Daizen Maeda skinned Tavernier on the left and, as Souttar came across to deal with the danger, his clearance ricocheted off the Japanese and broke to Idah, who spun and fired home – with the aid of a deflection off Souttar – from just inside the box.
The goal was swiftly ruled out for offside against Maeda but eventually allowed to stand following a lengthy VAR check.

Celtic had a chance to win it at the death when Maeda seized on slackness from Tavernier to burst clear, but Kelly did enough to ensure the final derby of the 2024/25 season ended in a stalemate.

Rangers 1-1 Celtic: Hosts denied third straight Derby win as final clash of season ends in stalemate

https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11781/13359297/rangers-1-1-celtic-final-old-firm-clash-of-season-ends-in-stalemate

Report as the final Old Firm clash of the season ended in a 1-1 draw at Ibrox; Cyriel Dessers gave Rangers the lead in the first half; Adam Idah’s deflected strike brought Scottish Premiership champions Celtic level as the two sides could not be split

Sunday 4 May 2025 16:03, UK
John Souttar holds off Daizen Maeda
Image: John Souttar holds off Daizen Maeda

The spoils were shared as Rangers held Scottish Premiership champions Celtic to a 1-1 draw in the final Old Firm clash of the season at Ibrox.

Celtic striker Adam Idah scored a second-half equaliser to deny Rangers a third successive Old Firm derby triumph.

Rangers had looked well placed to follow up their victories from January and March over Brendan Rodgers’ newly-crowned champions when Cyriel Dessers struck just before the break.

As had been indicated by the hosts in the build-up, there was no guard of honour from the Rangers players for their triumphant Celtic counterparts, but the title winners were roared on to the pitch by around 2,100 of their own supporters – the first time away fans were in attendance at a derby at Ibrox since the 2-2 draw in January 2023.

Rangers thought they had gone ahead in the 24th minute when Raskin again got his head to a Tavernier free-kick from the right and nodded beyond Sinisalo, but after some jubilant celebrations, the Belgian was eventually ruled to have strayed offside following a VAR check.
Celtic started to grow into the game as the half wore on and Cameron Carter-Vickers saw a header from Arne Engels’ corner pushed over by Liam Kelly in the 33rd minute. The Rangers goalkeeper had to make another save to deny Idah in the 43rd minute after the striker ran on to Reo Hatate’s pass and got himself clean through on goal.

Celtic got themselves level in the 56th minute. Daizen Maeda skinned Tavernier on the left and as Souttar came across to deal with the danger his clearance ricocheted off the Japanese and broke to Idah, who spun and fired home – with the aid of a deflection off Souttar – from just inside the box.

The goal was swiftly ruled out for offside against Maeda but eventually allowed to stand following a lengthy VAR check.

Celtic had a chance to win it at the death when Maeda seized on slackness from Tavernier to burst clear but Kelly did enough to ensure the final derby of the season ended in stalemate.
‘The mentality is there’

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Rangers interim head coach Barry Ferguson reacts after his side’s 1-1 draw with Celtic in the Scottish Premiership and says a decision needs to be made soon with regards to who will be taking the team forward.

Rangers interim manager Barry Ferguson:

“A bit disappointed we didn’t come away with three points. The commitment from my players was what I asked for, really good.

“Scored a good goal, went in at half-time deserving of the lead. We know Celtic are going to come out second half, but we weathered the storm really well.

“I just spoke to the players that we countered really well, it was just that bit of quality in the end that we need to be better at. The boys hold their hands up, they know that. Next week in training, it’s something we have to work on.

“The mentality is there, it’s just making sure you bring that sort of mentality on a consistent basis. It’s something we’ve not been able to do this season, I’m on at them every day in the training centre. It’s something we know we need to get better at.”

“The performance level was a good one. Rangers changed their structure, we were playing against a diamond, so once we figured that out, we had lots of moments where we played through that pressure well.

“There weren’t too many chances either side. We had to be strong in some set-piece moments in the first half. At half-time, I still felt we were at a good place in the game.

“Second half, we controlled the game. When you come to Ibrox, you sometimes have 10-15 minutes where you’re under real pressure, backs to the wall, but I never really felt that.

“If I was to criticise, maybe our final third play didn’t lend us to creating opportunities. But our build-up was composed. We got the goal, we deserved it.”

Both sides ‘disappointed’ with draw

Both Rangers midfielder Nicolas Raskin and Celtic captain Callum McGregor said after the game that there was disappointment at failing to win.

Raskin told Sky Sports: “Disappointed a little, we can be cleaner in the last pass or shot to punish them.

“We showed we more than compete against them, which is something we can take over to next season.”

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Raskin gives his reaction to Rangers’ draw

Reflecting on the season, and Rangers’ struggles to beat teams other than Celtic, he added: “For me it’s totally different [playing Celtic], there is less pace in the other games, we need to break the wall.

“This season, scoring goals early in games to give ourselves more space and chance to attack, we have missed chances too many times, then conceded a bad goal and struggled to come back.

“We want to make it much better next season, so we are not winning twice, drawing once, and being so far from them.”

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Celtic’s Callum McGregor and Idah reflect on the game

Meanwhile, McGregor said to Sky Sports: “Happy with the point but we’ve got enough of the game to win it. A wee bit of disappointment coming out of it. It’s always tough coming here. We take our point, we’re happy with the performance.

“It wasn’t a great time to concede the opening goal but we were well in the game. As soon as you start moving the ball, we were getting massive spaces and more than we thought we would. Stay calm, get your opportunities.. and we took it.”

Manager: It was another great effort by the players

https://www.celticfc.com/news/2025/may/04/manager–it-was-another-great-effort-by-the-players/
First Team

By Paul Cuddihy, Celtic View Editor

Share
04 May 2025, 2:46 pm

Brendan Rodgers was pleased with his side’s performance in the final Glasgow derby of the season as they came back from a goal down to equalise and take a share of the spoils.

It could have been even better if the Hoops had converted their chance deep in added time, but Daizen Maeda was denied by the Rangers goalkeeper.

However, the Celtic manager praised his players for their efforts at Ibrox.

“I thought a point was the least we deserved,” he told Celtic TV after the game. “We had some good moments in the first half and played through their pressure quite well.

“We had the chance to go 1-0 up which resulted in the corner, and from the corner we got done on the counter-attack.

‘But at half-time I just said to the players that we just needed to play the game that we’ve been playing, just keep building the game and moving them side to side.’

“They were playing in a diamond so we needed to keep moving the ball. And I thought we thoroughly deserved to get the result.

“We had a moment at the end where it looked like we were going to win it, but it’s a great effort by the players and we never had too many moments when we were under real pressure.

“I’ve been here before where you maybe have a 10-15 minute spell where you’re really under the cosh and you’ve got to be really strong, but I never felt that we had to defend that way.”

It was Adam Idah who was denied the chance late in the first-half to open the scoring, only for the Hoops to concede the opening goal of the game just moments later.

However, the Irish striker was able to shrug that disappointment off and continue to cause Rangers probelms after the break, culminating in the equaliser just before the hour mark.

“Adam plays for big moments,” said the Celtic manager. “He was obviously disappointed he didn’t score, but he’s always there and I thought in the second half he showed his mentality – really strong and he took the ball in and a wonderful spin and finish for the goal.

“We have one or two players that we have to try and get available for the cup final.

“Cameron Carter-Vickers will probably come out after this game. He needs an injection on a hamstring injury that he’s been having, but the idea now is to get through to the cup final in the best possible place, having players available, keep the performance level going and look to see if we can finish the season off in style.”

Derby draw at Ibrox as Idah nets for the Hoops

https://www.celticfc.com/news/2025/may/04/derby-draw-at-ibrox-as-idah-nets-for-the-hoops/

First Team

By Paul Cuddihy, Celtic View Editor

Share
04 May 2025, 2:06 pm

Scottish Premiership
Sunday, May 4, 2025
Ibrox Stadium, Glasgow

RANGERS… 1
(Dessers 44)

CELTIC… 1
(Idah 56)

The spoils were shared in the final Glasgow derby of the season as the Champions drew 1-1 with Rangers.

Adam Idah scored early in the second-half to cancel out Cyriel Dessers’ first-half goal, and there was a last-gasp chance for Celtic to take all three points when Daizen Maeda was put through on goal, but his effort was saved by Liam Kelly.

The home side created an early chance from a corner when Leon Balogun’s header hit the bar and went over, and that gave Rangers some early impetus, with Viljami SInisalo producing two good saves inside the opening 10 minutes.

However, as the half progressed, Brendan Rodgers’ side began to assert their dominance in possession as they tried to carev out chances of their own.

In the 25th minute, rangers thought they had taken the lead when Nicolas Raskin headed home a James Tavernier corner, but the goal was ruled out for offside following a VAR review.

Just after the half-hour mark, Kelly tipped an Adam Idah over the bar, and almost on the stroke of half-time, the goalkeeper again denied Celtic’s Irish striker after he was put through on goal.

Rangers immediately went up the par, and Dessers slotted the ball beyond Sinisalo and into the net to make it 1-0 at the break.
40%

Possession
60%
13

Shots
7
4

Shots On Target
3
5

Corners
6
9

Fouls
18

Cards

Celtic started the second-half intent on getting back on level terms and looked the more likely side to score.

The goal came in the 57th minute when Adam Idah did well to fashion some space inside the area before firing the ball beyond Liam Kelly.

The goal was initially ruled out for offside, but this time a VAR check confirmed it was a goal and Celtic were level.

Both sides continued to push forward in search of a second goal, and the Hoops neeed Sinisalo to come to their rescue with 10 minutes remaining to deny Raskin after he found himself with a chance to shoot from six yards out.

The game was heading towards a 1-1 draw after seven minmutes of added time when Reo Hatate did well to knock the ball forward and into the path of Daizen Maeda.

Celtic’s top goalscorer surged forward and into the box, with substitutes, Yang and Johnny Kenny racing into the area too.

The Japanese striker looked as though he was going to lift the ball over the onrushing Liam Kelly, but instead tried to roll it round the keeper, who managed to get a touch on the ball and allow his defence to clear the danger.

The Champions had come so close to securing all three points, which would have delighted the 2,000 Celtic fans in the Broomloan Road Stand, but in the end the game finished 1-1.

Now the Hoops will focus on their three remaining league games as well as the Scottish Cup final on May 24 and the chance to create history by securing another Treble.

Rangers: Kelly, Tavernier, Souttar, Balogun, Jefté, Diomande (Danilo 93′), Barron, Raskin, Cerny (Igamane 66′), Bajrami (Hagi 66′), Dessers

Subs: Butland, Cortés, Nsiala, Kasanwirjo, Igamane, Hagi (Rice 83′), McCausland, Rice, Danilo

Celtic: Sinisalo, Ralston, Carter-Vickers, Scales, Taylor (Schlupp 79′), Engels (Paulo Bernardo 63′), McGregor, Hatate, Forrest (Hyunjun Yang 63′), Idah (Kenny 83′), Maeda

Subs: Trusty, Hyunjun Yang, McCowan, Schlupp, Nawrocki, Kenny, Paulo Bernardo, Bain, McArdle

BBC

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/live/c3v909r929vt#Report
Martin Dowden
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Celtic came from behind to deny Rangers a third straight victory over their rivals as Adam Idah’s second-half strike frustrated Barry Ferguson’s home side in the Scottish Premiership.

Nicolas Raskin had an early header ruled out for offside before Cyriel Dessers netted his 25th goal of the season for Rangers just before half-time, only for Republic of Ireland international Idah to pounce and level.

The draw means Rangers have failed to win at Ibrox for the seventh straight fixture, an unwelcome run that has never happened before.

For Scottish champions Celtic, the point allows them to retain their 17-point margin over the second-top Ibrox side as they close out another successful league campaign unscathed.

With nothing at stake and the title decided, the idea this was meaningless remained fanciful.

After conceding three goals in each of their last three meetings with Rangers, and starting slowly in those, Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers emphasised to his team the need to begin strongly.

They didn’t. Within a minute, Leon Balogun met a corner with a free header but clipped the crossbar to Rodgers’ relief.

Being alert at set-pieces was something the Northern Irishman cited pre-match having seen that cost them in recent match-ups, but they struggled with that at times.

The visitors grew as the first half went on, though, and after Idah failed to play in James Forrest, Vaclav Cerny came close via a deflection, but visiting goalkeeper Viljami Sinisalo did superbly well to retreat and tip over.

It was frenetic. Another set-play looked to have undone the visitors when James Tavernier’s deep cross was met by Raskin and his header crept home. Celebrations were curtailed by a VAR check that deemed him just offside.

It swung back and forth. Cameron Carter-Vickers had a header tipped on to the bar by Liam Kelly. Rangers’ goalkeeper also did well to stay big when Idah got clean through.

Almost immediately, Rangers broke, Cerny dummied brilliantly and Dessers did the rest, holding off Liam Scales before finding the corner. Twenty-five goals for the season is not bad for someone who draws such a frequent high level of criticism.

Celtic had answers to find, as they have of late in these meetings, but they found the right one.

Daizen Maeda escaped down the left. The ball eventually fell to Idah, who turned brilliantly and slammed home via a deflection.

The drama continued as that was called offside, only to be overturned as Maeda was not interfering with Kelly’s view as the ball hit the net, despite being offside.

Maeda uncharacteristically failed to capitalise on a late break, but Celtic were perhaps still the happier to leave Ibrox unscathed with the title already delivered.
Rangers trouble Celtic again but not enough

After six home games without a win, a seventh against Celtic was unthinkable, especially after conceding this league so tamely.

One goal in those six games was an incredibly poor return. That may have been the spark for a quick start in which Balogun was close to an immediate opener.

On the big occasions this season, Rangers have often found a higher level of performance and loosely dropped points and trophy opportunities elsewhere.

They produced another one here but could not see it through to deliver a little more respite for their suffering supporters.

For interim head coach Ferguson, it must have seemed likely that this would be his last chance to put one over on Celtic as the man in charge. He could not quite get there but will likely feel his side performed well over the piece.

It is a season Rangers just want done with, with hope of better times ahead on the horizon once the takeover of the club is finalised.
Celtic happy to take point

With a fourth successive Premiership title in the bag, this mattered little to Celtic. Except it did. They all do against Rangers.

Having lost their last two league fixtures against the Ibrox side, there was no chance this would be taken lightly.

Rodgers pointed to starting well and being more alert at set-pieces. Both were missing and they were fortunate more than once not to concede.

However, they responded well and took a grip of matters at times, albeit their opponents had better chances, particularly in the first half.

That they managed to come from behind is a reminder of Celtic’s character and self-belief. They were not at their best again, but in this environment, and circumstance, they will surely be satisfied.

For Idah, this game also provided a big moment. His goal return has been reasonable given his minutes on the pitch, and another big one against Rangers will boost the perception of his overall contribution.
What they said

Rangers interim head coach Barry Ferguson: “A bit disappointed we didn’t come away with three points.

“The commitment from my players was what I asked for, really good.

“Scored a good goal, went in at half-time deserving of the lead. We know Celtic are going to come out [strongly in the] second half, but we weathered the storm really well. It was just that bit of quality in the end that we need to be better at.”

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers: “The performance level was a good one. Rangers changed their structure, we were playing against a diamond, so once we figured that out, we had lots of moments where we played through that pressure well.

“There weren’t too many chances either side. Second half, we controlled the game. When you come to Ibrox, you sometimes have 10-15 minutes where you’re under real pressure, backs to the wall, but I never really felt that. We got the goal, we deserved it.”