A late intervention by Reo Hatate turned what looked like a Rangers victory into a 2-2 draw, while Hearts moved clear at the top after the Old Firm stalemate
Rangers and Celtic served up a classic Old Firm rollercoaster at Ibrox, finishing 2-2 after a stoppage-time penalty from Reo Hatate rescued a point for the visitors. The game swung wildly — a stunning early strike, a defensive gift, a second-half revival and a late VAR intervention that decided the outcome.
A result with wider consequences: Hearts emerge the biggest beneficiaries, remaining top as both Glasgow giants dropped points in a match that sparkled with quality and stoked controversy.
How the goals came about: brilliance, mistakes and a comeback
Rangers grabbed control early.
In the eighth minute Chermiti met a Skov Olsen cross with an outrageous overhead kick that beat the keeper and set Ibrox alight. The same striker punished a defensive lapse in the 26th minute to make it 2-0 and cement Rangers’ early dominance.
Celtic stuttered in the first half but changed gear after the break. Manager Martin O’Neill, celebrating his 74th birthday, brought on Reo Hatate and Sebastian Tounekti for Junior Adamu and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Those changes reshaped the game: Kieran Tierney headed in from a Benjamin Nygren delivery on 56 minutes to spark Celtic’s momentum, and the visitors pressed relentlessly for an equaliser.
Penalty drama and VAR
The drama peaked deep into stoppage time when a handball inside the box triggered a VAR review. Referee John Beaton went to the pitch-side monitor and, after checking the incident, pointed to the spot. Hatate coolly converted — after an initial save from Jack Butland and a chaotic rebound — and completed a dramatic 2-2 salvage.
Expect the decision to dominate post-match discussion. The handball interpretation and VAR’s application will be parsed by managers and pundits alike, particularly given how it altered a fixture of such weight.
Goalkeeping, saves and razor-thin margins
Butland kept Rangers in front for long stretches with several sharp stops, including a reaction save from Luke McCowan and a block from a long-range strike later in the game. Yet the rebound off his initial penalty save underlined how tiny moments can rewrite a match.
Celtic’s keeper situation was notable too: with Kasper Schmeichel unavailable and Jesse Joronen absent, Jani Sinisalo faced the cauldron of Ibrox and conceded to high-quality finishing.
Tactics, selections and turning points
Danny Rohl stuck with the XI that had beaten Hearts, and his front pairing repaid that faith early. Dujon Sterling started at right-back in place of James Tavernier, a choice that offered both defensive solidity and attacking width. It was, however, a sliced clearance from Sterling’s side that directly led to the second Rangers goal — a reminder that small errors can have big consequences.
Celtic’s squad had recently been stretched by a Europa League tie with Stuttgart, and Auston Trusty’s suspension forced defensive reshuffling. The introductions of Hatate and Tounekti were decisive: Hatate supplied the creative spark and won the penalty, while Tounekti’s movement dragged Rangers’ defenders out of position and opened space for others.
A result with wider consequences: Hearts emerge the biggest beneficiaries, remaining top as both Glasgow giants dropped points in a match that sparkled with quality and stoked controversy.0
A result with wider consequences: Hearts emerge the biggest beneficiaries, remaining top as both Glasgow giants dropped points in a match that sparkled with quality and stoked controversy.1
A result with wider consequences: Hearts emerge the biggest beneficiaries, remaining top as both Glasgow giants dropped points in a match that sparkled with quality and stoked controversy.2
