POTTER WON’T THROW IN TOWEL AFTER DRAW KEEPS CELTIC IN THE DRIVING SEAT
RangeRs head coach Jo Potter insists her side aren’t ready to give up on their title bid despite failing to beat leaders Celtic at Broadwood.
With just three games to go, the two sides are locked on 73 points after yesterday’s 0-0 draw but elena sadiku’s team are top courtesy of a goal difference that is superior by 13.
‘We knew we needed three points more than they did,’ reflected Potter.
‘The goal difference is essentially worth an extra point for them. But there are three games left and we can’t throw the towel in now. We would never do that anyway.’
next up for Rangers is a trip to Petershill to take on glasgow City while Celtic meet Partick Thistle. It would be fair to suggest that the run-in will be as much about nerve now as it is about anything.
Certainly, yesterday’s game at Broadwood underlined that there is very little between the two teams. Rangers flirted in the opening stages with producing a performance that was as dominant as their recent scottish Cup win at Hampden but Celtic were able to find their feet and probably had the better of the second period.
Rangers’ best chances came from distance, with eilidh austin and Mia Mcaulay whacking the crossbar from 20 yards, the latter’s effort on the cusp of the regulation 90-minute mark.
In between times, Celtic striker natasha Flint produced a fine save from Rangers goalkeeper Vic esson ten minutes after the restart, while an opportunity that she dragged wide in the first half will still be playing on a loop in her mind after she had stolen in behind the Rangers defence.
Inevitably, both teams thought they had done enough to merit all three points with Celtic manager sadiku, who replaced Fran alonso as head coach in January, insisting that she never felt under pressure from Rangers at any point.
‘Rangers hit the crossbar twice from
distance, but, otherwise, they had nothing,’ said the Swede.
‘We had chances which we should have scored from. Even if we should be happy with the point because we are still top of the league, I think we should have won.
‘The hunger, the performance. I felt we were the better team and should have won. The girls showed up.
‘We knew this was going to be a huge game for us and we dealt with the pressure great. I thought there was only one team on the pitch and that was us.’
Interestingly, Potter made the point that Celtic lacked a conviction in their performance as she suggested that Rangers have the psychological edge over their rivals.
‘You can see the momentum shift in the last couple of years in the Old Firm game where they maybe don’t have that belief that they are the better team,’ she said.
‘We have proved on many occasions this season that we can dominate these games and we can dominate them comfortably.
‘I have never felt that we have been out of control and if we weren’t the better team we were still in with a chance of scoring.’
Rangers have experience of a title win, lifting the trophy in season 2021-22, but this remains fresh ground for a Celtic side who have never taken the crown.
The final outcome may well be settled on just who keeps their cool in the run-in. Ultimately, the goal difference becomes insignificant should either team drop points, with both managers urging a single-mindedness on results across the next fortnight.
‘It is all about us,’ said Sadiku. ‘We have to focus on us. We always aim to win when we go into the games.
‘The hunger we showed today is so important. I am so confident in the team and believe in them so much. If we can show what we showed today, we will be all right. The focus will not change in the last three games.’