Scottish PremiershipSunday, March 16, 2025Celtic Park, Glasgow CELTIC…2(Maeda 48, Hatate 73) RANGERS…3(Raskin 3, Diomande 37, Igamane 88) It proved to be a day of derby disappointment for Celtic as they lost 3-2 at home in a game where they had come from two goals down before conceding a third goal late in the game. Celtic had barely enjoyed any touches of the ball before the visitors took the lead in the third minute when Nico Raskin headed home from a corner. It was a shock start to the game for the Hoops, although they quickly fashioned an opportunity when Luke McCowan floated a ball over the top of the Rangers defence for Daizen Maeda, but his effort was saved. In the ninth minute, Reo Hatate had a shot from the edge of the area pushed wide for a corner when it looked as though it was heading for the top corner. But just six minutes later, the visitors squandered a great chance to double their lead, but Vaclav Cerny couldn’t finish after he’d intercepted a pass out from Kasper Schmeichel. Leon Balagan had a header from a corner cleared off the line in the 26th minute, while on the half-hour mark Arne Engels tried his luck from distance but his effort went high and wide. In the 37th minute, Rangers made it 2-0 when Mohamed Diomande finished from 10 yards out after being set up by Raskin. Jota was looking dangerous for Celtic down the left flank and had an effort from close-range deflected out for a corner before he tried his luck from 35 yards out with a shot which just flashed wide of the target. And just before the break, Maik Nawrocki saw his header from an Engels corner saved by Jack Buckland.Celtic started the second half on the front foot and reduced the deficit just three minutes after the break when Daizen Maeda rose highest to head home a Jota cross to the far post. Reo Hatate was at the heart of Celtic’s attacking threat as they searched for an equaliser and on 54 minutes he hit a volley which was deflected out for a corner. Just after the hour mark, good work from Engels and Maeda saw the ball land at the feet of Luke McCowan inside the area but his low shot went just wide. But on 73 minutes, Brendan Rodgers’ side drew level. This time, McCowan was the provider, threading a ball in for Hatate to slot into the net. Four minutes later, Jeffrey Schlupp came close when his shot from the edge of the area was well saved, while at the other end Connor Barron hit a low shot just wide of the target. Hatate had another shot from 20 yards that went just wide as the Hoops pushed forward, but from the resulting goal-kick, the visitors grabbed their third goal of the game. A long ball wasn’t headed clear and when Alistair Johnston lost his footing, Hamza Igamane latched on to the ball and from the edge of the area, fired it high into the net to give Rangers a 3-2 lead nd, ultimately, all three points.
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