Substitute Hamza Igamane drove in a glorious late winner as Rangers beat Celtic 3-2 in a thrilling Old Firm encounter at Parkhead.
Nico Raskin headed the visitors in front from a corner in the fourth minute before fellow midfielder Mohamed Diomande added a second in the 37th minute and Barry Ferguson’s side should have been further ahead at the interval.
The Light Blues booked a Europa League quarter-final against Athletic Bilbao with a dramatic penalty shoot-out win over Fenerbahce at Ibrox on Thursday but 120 minutes took its toll after half-time.
Hoops attacker Daizen Maeda pulled a goal back three minutes into the second half and midfielder Reo Hatate levelled in the 75th minute.
But Rangers raced up the other end in the 88th minute and striker Igamane, only on a matter of minutes, fired high into the net for his side’s first win at Celtic Park since 2020.
It was yet another eventful afternoon between the two Glasgow giants.
Away fans were allowed inside Parkhead for an Old Firm game for the first time since 2023 and around 2,500 clad in blue and white had to in situ two hours before kick-off with safety nets around them – and they went through the emotional wringer.
The big team news was that due to injuries at centre-back, 24-year-old Polish defender Maik Nawrocki was in for only his third Celtic appearance of the season, while captain Callum McGregor was out through injury, replaced by Luke McCowan.
Rangers, with left-back Ridvan Yilmaz in for Jefte, got off to a blistering start.
After Hoops keeper Kasper Schmeichel made a fine save from Raskin’s drive to concede a corner, the Belgian midfielder beat defender Jeffrey Schlupp to skipper James Tavernier’s delivery to the near post to steer in a header.
Celtic hit back and keeper Jack Butland made a great save from Hatate’s 25-yard drive.
However, Vaclav Cerny should have made it 2-0 in the 16th minute after picking up Schmeichel’s poor clearance but instead of a quick return shot, the Czech Republic winger dribbled too wide and Nawrocki cleared.
Visiting defender Leon Balogun’s header from another Tavernier corner was blocked by Celtic midfielder Arne Engels but when Raskin raced into the box and headed on a Tavernier cross, unmarked Diomande chested the ball down and slid his shot low past Schmeichel.
Interim boss Ferguson was booked by referee Steven McLean before Dujon Sterling hooked a Maeda header away from the Rangers crossbar and from the resultant corner, Butland made a great save from a Nawrocki header.
Celtic striker Adam Idah replaced Nicolas Kuhn for the start of the second half and three minutes later Maeda reduced the deficit from Jota’s cross, climbing above Tavernier and Sterling to power in a header.
The visitors looked fatigued and Dutch defender Robin Propper took over from Balogun before Ianis Hagi replaced Diomande.
The Celtic support urged their side forward and there was joy when Hatate burst into the box and drove a McCowan pass into the far corner of the net.
Rangers looked out on their feet and Ferguson looked to the bench again, bringing on Tom Lawrence, Igamane and Clinton Nsiala for Cerny, Sterling and Connor Barron.
There was more drama in the 88th minute when Igamane pulled the ball out of the air inside the Hoops box and thundered a drive high past Schmeichel, and the Rangers fans went wild, although Hoops right-back Alistair Johnston missed a great chance in the final seconds.
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