In a breathless and chaotic Old Firm derby at Ibrox today, Rangers and Celtic played out a sensational 2-2 draw that ultimately served as a major boost for league leaders Hearts.
The match was a classic tale of two halves, with Danny Röhl’s Rangers side commanding the opening period through the individual brilliance of Youssef Chermiti, only for Martin O’Neill’s Celtic to claw their way back in a dramatic second-half resurgence.
The hosts flew out of the blocks and took the lead after just eight minutes in spectacular fashion.
Andreas Skov Olsen scooped an inviting cross into the box, and Chermiti connected with a perfectly timed overhead kick that flew past Viljami Sinisalo.
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Rangers continued to exploit a disjointed Celtic backline, and Chermiti doubled the advantage in the 26th minute.
Capitalising on a poor clearance from Dane Murray, the striker showed great strength to whisk the ball away from Julian Araujo before sliding a low finish into the net.
Youssef Chermiti had fired Rangers 2-0 up against Celtic
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At that stage, Celtic appeared physically and emotionally drained from their midweek European exploits.
However, the visitors emerged for the second half with renewed aggression.
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Kieran Tierney got Celtic back into it against Rangers
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They finally found their rhythm in the 56th minute when a slick passing sequence allowed Benjamin Nygren to pick out Kieran Tierney, who powered a header past Jack Butland to give the Hoops a lifeline.
Celtic pushed relentlessly for an equaliser, while Rangers struggled to regain their earlier composure, increasingly forced into a desperate defensive stand.
The drama reached its peak in the final minutes.
In the 89th minute, a VAR review determined that Dujon Sterling had handled the ball in the box, handing Celtic a late penalty.
🗣️ “𝗖𝗲𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗴𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲, 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗴𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲!”
— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) March 1, 2026
Reo Hatate equalises for Celtic after his penalty was saved ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/niyoMGW2mf
Reo Hatate stepped up to take the spot-kick in the 91st minute, and while Jack Butland produced two stunning saves to deny the initial shot and the first rebound, Hatate eventually scrambled the ball home at the third attempt.
The final whistle triggered heated scenes on the pitch, but the shared spoils leave both Glasgow giants frustrated in their pursuit of the title.