RANGERS 2 CELTIC 3 Hit-and-miss season definedbyderbyloss
LADBROKES PREMIERSHIP
THE inexplicable miss that Alfredo Morelos somehow contrived to produce in the closing stages of this classic Glasgow derby match had Celtic supporters laughing loudly while Rangers fans shook their heads in disbelief.
It was altogether an opportunity squandered by the Ibrox club, though, to end an eight-game winless run in the fixture.
At no stage since Brendan Rodgers arrived at Parkhead nearly two years ago have their prospects of prevailing been so good – they went into the match on the back of a six-game winning run while their opponents had been exhibiting indifferent form.
And when goalkeeper Dorus de Vries joined Mikael Lustig, Craig Gordon and Leigh Griffiths on the sidelines in the build-up to kick-off and Scott Bain, who had not been involved in a first-team game in over four months, was brought in to replace him, their hopes increased.
That was also true when the visitors were, with the scores tied at 2-2, reduced to 10 men with 34 minutes remaining when Jozo Simunovic was, quite correctly, sent off by referee Willie Collum for elbowing Morelos as they chased down a James Tavernier through ball.
With Jack Hendry, the 22-year-old centre half signed from Dundee during the January transfer window, coming in at right back to make his debut in the game in difficult circumstances, a home triumph seemed a strong possibility.
The sight of Dedryck Boyata, who had gifted Josh Windass the first goal early on and had been muscled off the ball by Morelos when Daniel Candeias scored the second, partnering Kristoffer Ajer in the heart of the vistors’ defence will not have filled the travelling support with great confidence.
But Graeme Murty, whose chances of being kept on as Rangers manager beyond the summer have been damaged by both the display and result, was unable to oversee a triumph.
Murty admitted it had been the biggest disappointment of his brief managerial career and any observer of events in Govan could, regardless of their allegiances, understand why.
“This was a big opportunity that we have failed to grasp,” he said. “I’m not sure that those opportunities come along too often when you look along your career.”
There has been much excitement in certain quarters about the signings Murty made during the recent transfer window and Greg Docherty, Sean Goss and Jamie Murphy all started yesterday, while Jason Cummings came on.
This game, though, showed that there still, for all the difficulties Celtic are experiencing at the moment, remains a sizeable gulf in quality both on the park and in the dugout.
When David Bates was stretchered off injured after Tom Rogic had cancelled out the goal that Windass netted in just the third minute, Fabio Cardoso was brought on to replace him.
Cardoso was brushed aside with considerable ease by Moussa Dembele shortly before half-time as Bruno Alves looked on and was helpless to prevent the striker from lobbing Wes Foderingham.
DEFENCE was far from the only area the home team were second best. Docherty and Goss were bossed by the incorrigible Brown in midfielder while Dembele and Odsonne Edouard were superior in attack.
Edouard netted just two minutes after being brought on for James Forrest in the second half. He received the ball from his countryman, cut inside Goss and curled the ball beyond Foderingham. What would Morelos have given to be so clinical?
The little Colombian, who struck the post with an inviting empty net beckoning just yards in front of him after Bain had palmed a Windass shot, will be a figure of fun in Scottish football for a while now. Indeed, he will probably need to open his account in the fixture, in either the Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden next month or in the final Premiership meeting of the season at Parkhead after that, to silence the snipers.
The 3-2 triumph sent Celtic nine points clear with a game in hand against third-bottom Dundee at home – and nine matches remaining and has surely sewed up their seventh consecutive Scottish title success.
Rangers have made great strides forward under Murty. But no defeat against Celtic, at home particularly, is acceptable. They must do better if he is to retain his position.
Rodgers showed the accomplished coach that he is when, despite his side being at a numerical disadvantage, he threw on another forward, went with two up front and watched his team net the what proved to be the winner.