Cameron Carter-Vickers and Celtic put the Scottish Premiership title in the bag over the weekend as they were able to hold on for the win over Malik Tillman and Rangers to extend their lead at the top of the standings.
Celtic 3-2 Rangers
Celtic ended Rangers challenge for the Scottish Premiership crown as they rattled their rivals to come away with the win at Celtic Park in another thrilling Glasgow Derby.
Cameron Carter-Vickers started and went the distance for the Hoops, completing 88 percent of his passes, winning six duels, and making one tackle. On the other side, Malik Tillman played 69 minutes, completing 71 percent of his passes, winning seven duels, and making two tackles.
The league leaders thought they had opened the scoring in emphatic fashion early in the contest when the ball was crossed into the 12-yard box to Kyogo Furuhashi. The Japanese international did well to chest it down and volley his shot past goalkeeper Allan McGregor to the delight of the Celtic fans, but it was called back due to offside.
Rangers felt the same way about their opener later when Alfredo Morelos steered the ball into the goal from a corner kick. However, the referee disallowed it due to a foul.
The hosts finally got on the scoreboard after 26 minutes when Kyogo was able to collect a pass from Matthew O’Riley, spin to his right and blast it past McGregor.
The visitors responded just before the halftime whistle with a goal to level the score. James Tavernier’s free-kick hit the underside of the crossbar before crossing the goalline as goalkeeper Joe Hart could do nothing to stop it.
The first half proved to be exciting, and the second half would bring more as both sides pushed for more goals.
Kyogo scored his second on the day in the 62nd minute. Jota’s cross from the right side was initially blocked by a Rangers defender, but the Portuguese international did not let up as he tracked the ball while it was airborne. A bit of luck occurred as Ben Davies headed the ball off Jota and Kyogo punished the defender for his mistake as he struck from close range.
Rangers were left rattled and their opponents made them pay more when a lax back pass allowed Jota to pounce and score Celtic’s third in the 73rd minute.
Tavernier scored his second for Rangers in the 78th minute when he was left wide open to thump a header past Hart.
The Ibrox side pushed for the equalizer, but it would not come as the Parkhead faithful celebrate what will become back-to-back titles for the Hoops.
Celtic now sits atop the standings with 88 points.
Notes
Elsewhere in the Premiership, Ian Harkes played 88 minutes for Dundee United while Matthew Hoppe remained on the bench for Hibernian as the Tangerines earned a morale-boosting 2-1 win at Tannadice Park.
Down in the Championship, Brian Schwake was between the posts for Greenock Morton as they had to settle for a 1-1 draw with Ayr United to put them six points out from the playoff spots.
