Soccer

Celtic close in on title despite Sakala salvaging derby draw for Rangers

Width of a post prevented forward from handing Rangers an even better outcome

Fashion Sakala of Rangers celebrates scoring against Celtic at Celtic Park. Photograph: Ian MacNicol/Getty

Ewan Murray at Celtic Park
Sun May 1 2022 - 14:28

Celtic 1 Rangers 1

This was not in Celtic's script. At 1-0 up here, Ange Postecoglou's team were on course to secure the title barring some crossing of t's and dotting of i's. Victory would have sent Celtic nine points – and more than 20 goals – ahead of their oldest foes.

Rangers were not of a mind to let that scenario transpire. Celtic remain the firm favourites to win the Premiership but Rangers will regard this draw as a moral victory. More so, indeed, because they completely deserved it. The width of a post prevented Fashion Sakala from handing Rangers an even better outcome, just days before the second leg of their Europa League semi-final against RB Leipzig.

Jota handed Celtic the lead after capitalising on lazy defending from Borna Barisic when meeting a Daizen Maeda cross. Rangers' Ryan Kent had missed an identical chance earlier in proceedings.

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Jota and Maeda passed up opportunities to double Celtic’s lead before the break. Maeda was again wasteful 20 minutes after the restart, a moment Rangers capitalised on.

Fashion Sakala fires home Rangers? equaliser to deny Celtic victory.Photograph: Stuart Wallace/ShutterstockSakala played a neat one-two with Kent before slamming home at Joe Hart's near post. The ferocity of the shot left the former England goalkeeper helpless.

The Fiver: sign up and get our daily football email.Sakala had three chances to claim victory for Rangers. The woodwork denied the Zambian with the best of them. Celtic appealed in vain for a penalty after the ball struck John Lundstram's arm from a Tom Rogic cross. At full-time, the home support acclaimed their players in a manner which suggested a title party was imminent; the underlying issue being that those in green and white had been of a mind to begin the celebrations here. – Guardian

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