SOCCER/Scottish League Cup Quarter-final/Celtic - 2 Rangers - 0: Rangers manager Alex McLeish knows now that his job is hanging by a thread after the Ibrox men were eliminated at the quarter-final stage of the League Cup last night.
With hopes of retaining their Scottish Premier League title growing more forlorn by the week, McLeish's hopes of a reprieve has rested on cup competitions - but Gordon Strachan's men gained revenge for defeat at the same stage last year, and, to add insult to injury, Rangers had their Greek defender Sotirios Kyrgiakos sent off after 66 minutes.
Key players were missing from both sides for this fifth meeting in the competition over the past six years. For Celtic, Chris Sutton failed to recover from the hamstring injury which had caused him to sit out Sunday's win over Falkirk, and Rangers were without the influential midfielder Brahim Hemdani, who lasted only 27 minutes of Saturday's disappointing goalless draw with Aberdeen.
McLeish's men won the last Old Firm meeting, but the fortunes of the two teams since that sunny afternoon in August could not be more contrasting.
Celtic had not lost a match since that 3-1 defeat at Ibrox, whereas Rangers have fallen 12 points behind Strachan's side and Hearts, joint leaders in the Scottish Premier league. They meet again on league business on Saturday week, but whether McLeish would even survive until then was open to pre-match conjecture.
Events at Tynecastle over the past few days had otherwise ensured an uncharacteristically low-key build up to this match, but the ferocity and general nastiness associated with this Glasgow rivalry has never been in doubt, as was exemplified with a typically rousing welcome as the teams took the field.
McLeish and Strachan may well be old friends from their Aberdeen playing days, but the beleaguered Rangers manager expected no favours on account of past acquaintance. There was no assistance either for McLeish from his central midfielders, who allowed Maloney to collect a loose ball 35 yards from goal and unleash a stunning shot into the top left-hand corner of Stefan Klos's net on 26 minutes.
The German goalkeeper was caught unawares, but he was entitled to expect more protection from those in front of him who have been undone all too often this season by powerful midfield runs.
Maloney's goal, his second in as many games, was the first meaningful action of a match which had been distinguished by its mediocrity up to that point, but Celtic's fans remained unperturbed in the knowledge that a metaphoric noose was beginning to tighten even more around the neck of the Rangers manager.
Fernando Ricksen went close to an equaliser with 10 minutes of the first half remaining, but his 20-yard effort was typical of the Rangers's efforts which showed a lack of penetration whenever Celtic's goal came within sight.
However, what the Ibrox side may lack in quality they attempt to make up for in determination. Barry Ferguson tried manfully to prompt a recovery, but the captain grew increasingly exasperated as the interval approached, as more often than not Steven Thompson and Dado Prso were unable to make use of the ball in attack.
Peter Lovenkrands took over from Olivier Bernard for the second period and Francis Jeffers entered the fray 10 minutes later, but Rangers' problems were further back, where they were unable to contain the precocious talent of Maloney. Jeffers's first act was to be booked for a cynical foul on Mo Camara, and Kyrgiakos was then sent off after receiving a second booking for sarcastically applauding after referee Kenny Clark adjudged Hamed Namouchi to have fouled Stilian Petrov.
Celtic secured victory when Klos made a calamitous error when under pressure from Bobo Balde, deflecting the ball into the net off his arm from two yards. Rangers's fans stood defiant, as did their manager in the teeming rain, but both parties would be acutely aware that defiance may no longer be enough.
Guardian Service
CELTIC: Boruc, Telfer, Balde, McManus, Camara, Nakamura, Lennon, Petrov, McGeady (Varga 77), Hartson, Maloney. Subs Not Used: Marshall, Thompson, Virgo, Pearson. Booked: Hartson, Balde. Goals: Maloney 26, Klos 82 og.
RANGERS: Klos, Hutton, Rodriguez (Pierre-Fanfan 79), Kyrgiakos, Bernard (Lovenkrands 45), Namouchi, Ferguson, Ricksen, Murray, Prso, Thompson (Jeffers 56). Subs Not Used: Alex Rae, Waterreus. Sent Off: Kyrgiakos (66). Booked: Kyrgiakos, Hutton, Jeffers, Pierre-Fanfan.
Referee: K Clark (Scotland).
