Celtic 2-3 Rangers: Late Igamane winner proves Rodgers wrong… Ferguson IS making a difference

Last Friday, Brendan Rodgers dispensed with the etiquette we normally see ahead of an Old Firm clash when he was asked for his view on Rangers to date under Barry Ferguson.

Rather than offering up the usual empty platitudes, the Celtic manager claimed he didn’t notice a great deal of difference. A change of manager, but the same inconsistencies and frailties, was his succinct take.

The Northern Irishman was fully entitled to his thoughts, but you must imagine he’ll see it rather differently now. If this compelling clash was anything to go by, the interim manager has given the Ibrox side exactly what they’ve been missing for so long.

Having controlled the first half and deservedly gone up the tunnel with a two-goal half-time lead, Rangers did demonstrate those inherent weaknesses after the break as Celtic came back at them.

When Reo Hatate slid home the equaliser following Daizen Maeda’s earlier header, there were still 16 minutes remaining.

Without a win at Celtic Park since the Covid season, the 2,400 visiting fans had good reason to fear what happened next.

Mohamed Diomande’s calm finish puts Rangers two ahead in the first  half at Celtic Park

Running on empty after their efforts against Fenerbahce last Thursday, Rangers’ energy began to wilt. This time, however, their spirit remained strong.

Having put their bodies on the line, they waited for their moment. It arrived when Celtic’s defence went to pieces and Hamza Igamane produced a sublime finish.

With the points gap still sitting at 13, this result won’t change the destiny of the Premiership title. Celtic will dust themselves down and wrap it up in short order.

But it changes the narrative around Rangers and Ferguson in particular. Having seen off Jose Mourinho over two games, he’s now got one over Rodgers.

It’s early days, but he’s beginning to make a case to be considered for the post on a permanent basis.

Just a third defeat for Rodgers in 22 derbies arrived without too many grounds for complaint.

Celtic were utterly wretched in the first half. Having found themselves trailing to goals by Nicolas Raskin and Mohamed Diomande, they improved and found something to level the affair. Yet they never fully convinced.

While the absence of Callum McGregor denied them a metronomic presence in the middle of the park, that alone could not excuse what they served up.

They seemed strangely nervous at the outset, with the nerves returning just at the time where they looked like snatching victory.

For a third successive game against Rangers, Celtic have conceded three goals. So much for learning the lessons from that drubbing at Ibrox in January.

Irrespective of the points difference separating the sides, all of these games have an edge to them. The presence of visiting fans for the first time since January 2023 provided an additional dimension, the racket inside the arena blasting the eardrums for the entire match.

With captain McGregor failing a fitness test, the opportunity afforded to Luke McCowan was the stuff of childhood dreams.

Maik Nawrocki also made just his third appearance of the season — and his first start since May 18 — with Auston Trusty also sidelined.

Ferguson stuck with the three-at-the-back system which had done the job against Fenerbahce. After coming through 120 minutes plus penalties last Thursday, however, the concern for the visitors was lasting the pace.

While you didn’t doubt for a minute that they’d start the game bursting with energy and attitude, even in his wildest imaginings Ferguson would probably not have believed quite how they would burst from the traps. Belying a 3-4-2-1 set-up, Rangers went at Celtic from the outset, winning a string of set-pieces and edging in front on four minutes.

Straight off the training ground, the opener could not have been more simple. James Tavernier’s corner caught Jeffrey Schlupp on his heels. Darting in front of him, Raskin was alert and flicked a header which left Kasper Schmeichel without a prayer.

It set the tone. Celtic were ragged, slack with the ball and lacking aggression without it. Schmeichel passed one ball straight to Vaclav Cerny and was grateful for Nawrocki’s block on the line. Seconds later, the Dane undercooked another pass to Alistair Johnston.

Rangers played with a swagger, found space and exploited it. When they lost the ball, they fell back into their shape and shut down passing lines.

Jack Butland did well to stop Hatate’s strike going into the top corner, but was not overworked.

Maeda smashed one effort into the side netting while Arne Engels drilled one over from distance. At no stage, though, did Rodgers’ side produce a sustained spell of pressure in the opening period.

Rangers’ two-goal lead at the interval was fully merited. Only Engels’ block on the line had prevented Leon Balogun claiming the second for the visitors a few minutes before they did.

Raskin seemed to be everywhere. When James Tavernier chipped a long diagonal into the box, the Belgian claimed it with a deft flick. It left Diomande totally unmarked and the Ivorian found the bottom corner to send the visiting supporters wild again.

For all Dujon Sterling made a brilliant goal-line clearance to stop Maeda from halving the deficit, it would have been more than Celtic’s efforts for the opening 45 minutes deserved.

Celtic midfielder Reo Hatate sets up a dramatic finale with his equaliser in a compelling derby

The only certainty as the game resumed was that Celtic could only improve.

The fast restart that Rodgers would have demanded arrived — and manifested itself with a goal inside four minutes.

Having struggled to make any impact up to that point, Jota belatedly produced some quality on the flank, weaving this way then that before standing the ball up to the far post.

Maeda showed the kind of desire Celtic had been missing to that point, getting to the ball first and claiming his 28th goal of the season with a clinical downward header.

For the first time in the afternoon, Rangers looked rattled. Hatate’s hopes of quickly levelling the affair were dashed when he thumped a volley into the side net. 

McCowan then trickled a shot wide. Rangers were beginning to feel the effects of their midweek exertions. 

Diomande and Balogun could give no more. Others gritted their teeth and tried to put mind over matter.

There were now more spaces for Rodgers’ players to exploit. They moved Rangers around and finally found their composure.

The equaliser had been coming. McCowan’s ball to eliminate two Rangers defenders was superb. Hatate still had work to do but produced a precise finish back across goal.

It was anyone’s game now. Schlupp had a thunderous strike deflected wide while Connor Barron sent a tame effort into the side netting at the other end when he ought to have done better. Hatate then curled one just wide. 

On the sidelines, Ferguson pleaded for calm. Good luck with that.

On a day when Celtic’s display was pockmarked by errors, the source of Rangers’ winner was entirely in keeping with everything we’d seen in the previous 88 minutes.

Normally so dependable, Cameron Carter-Vickers completely misjudged a long ball that he would usually have taken in his stride. With Celtic’s defence all over the place and Johnston on the deck after slipping, Igamane took one touch then blasted the ball into the top corner to claim a famous victory.