Football Live

Wednesday April 16, 2008 Finished

Celtic Glasgow 2 - Glasgow Rangers 1

Celtic

  • Nakamura 20’
  • Vennegoor of Hesselink 90’

Rangers

  • Novo 55’
  1. Celtic leave it late

    Celtic leave it late

    Celtic stayed in the SPL title hunt after an injury-time Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink header gave them a 2-1 win over Rangers at Parkhead. More

  • Live Commentary

    Time:90'
    • Celtic
    • Rangers
    • - Oh dear, handbags after the final whistle, Ferguson's involved in some kind of he-man contest with the Celtic players, Strachan is on the pitch to pull his players away.
    • 90+6 And that's the final whistle! Celtic win! A late, late winner and the title race is back on!
    • 90+5 Cousin is bundled over in the box by Hesselink but no penalty! Weir gives away a free-kick.
    • 90+4 Caldwell about 30 yards out, he dinks a ball looking for McDonald on the left hand side of the six yard box, the Aussie nods it back across goal AND JAN VENNEGOOR OF HESSELINK RISES TO FLICK HOME A HEADER INTO THE BOTTOM RIGHT TO WIN IT FOR CELTIC! Title race on!
    • 90+3 McGeady shoves Novo! No action taken, Novo was trying to waste time by chucking the ball away.
    • 90+2 Celtic with McGeady on the left but the delivery floats out for a goal kick.
    • 90' A whopping FIVE minutes injury-time for Celtic to get something here.
    • 88' Samaras and Ferguson with a set-to after Samaras went down following the Rangers captain's challenge... the ref calms it down and the pair shake hands.
    • 86' McGeady now with a chance on the edge of the box but not only does he fail to test Alexander, he sends the shot embarrassingly wide.
    • 85' McGeady comes charging forward, he cuts inside and sends a brilliant ball for SAMARAS WHO RISES WITH A HEADER but he can't get decent contact on it and the ball spins wide!
    • 84' Cousin on for Rangers as they take a free-kick, which is poor from Novo, Ferguson has a chance to shoot from the edge of the box but he drags a weak shot well-wide.
    • 82' McDonald well offside when Nakamura plays the ball over, he doesn’t touch the ball but moves towards it, thus becoming active.
    • 81' Corner to Celtic on the left which Nakamura again will take... McManus heads it behind for a goal kick though, after being found at the near post.
    • 79' Alexander gets an early test as he is clattered by Samaras while claiming a cross, holding onto the ball as he hits the deck.
    • 78' Rangers sub: Alexander on for McGregor.
    • 76' Free-kick to Celtic around 35 yards out… good delivery from Nakamura but headed clear in the Rangers box. Looks like Neil Alexander is coming on for the stricken keeper McGregor…
    • 75' 75' Celtic sub: Robson off, Samaras on.
    • 74' As McGregor receives treatment the Rangers doctor is hit by a coin thrown by an idiot in the crowd. McGregor has his ankle strapped and will continue.
    • 72' McGeady on the left sends a superb cross to the six yard box and McDonald rises but the header is over. McGregor is down, doubt he can carry on but my word has he helped his side.
    • 70' You've got to feel for Cuellar - he's been brilliant for Rangers since signing in the summer - and McDonald steps up to take the penalty… AND A BRILLIANT SAVE FROM MCGREGOR DIVING LOW TO HIS RIGHT!! And he holds onto the loose ball too! Great stop, especially given his injury.
    • 69' The ball drops to Nakamura on the egde of the box and he hammers an unstoppable shot over the stranded McGregor and Cuellar on the line handles it onto the bar! Penalty and a red card! Oh no!
    • 67' McGeady tries a cross from deep but sends it well over. Worrying for Rangers as McGregor continues to struggle with an ankle injury.
    • 66' Robson slips Hinkel in on the right, he cuts inside and he can shoot but it's blocked, it falls to Hesselink but he can't dig a shot out and Rangers clear!
    • 63' Hinkel with a great ball in for Hesselink but his header is wide from close range. That seemed to take a touch off a Rangers defender but only a free-kick is given.
    • 58' McDonald is in and can shoot on goal but saved by McGregor! Whistle went for a foul by Hesselink in the build-up, McGregor is injured too after landing awkwardly.
    • 57' Hilariously, Rangers striker Steven Naismith is booked for running onto the pitch from the subs bench to celebrate that goal. Wild, out-of-control behaviour from the youngster.
    • 55' Now a long ball into the right channel finds Novo free after he continued his run after being tackled by Wilson, he keeps his balance as it bounces into the box, Wilson is still upfield and he has a shot AND DRILLS IT LOW INTO THE BOTTOM LEFT FOR 1-1! Massive goal for Rangers, an inspired substitution by Smith, who realised that Darcheville was getting no support.
    • 54' Celtic almost break well but too long from McGeady and Rangers have it back.
    • 53' McGeady gives the ball away and tries to win it back, Robson follows up and does exactly the same, fouling Ferguson in the process and conceding a free kick, which he protests. Clark tells him to shut it and play resumes.
    • 51' Booking for Hesselink for a tackle from behind after Novo sprinted away.
    • 49' McGeady inside to Wilson, who plays it to McDonald who can shoot but he fires well over!
    • 47' Rangers get a free kick on the left which will Davis take, Cuellar up there but straight at Boruc who releases the ball immediately.
    • 46' Second half underway!
    • 45+1 Half-time, Celtic lead 1-0 through a stunning Nakamura strike.
    • 45+1 Celtic come forward on the left, Robson in space to swing over a cross but it's a touch too deep and Rangers clear.
    • 45' The home fans whistle as Darcheville takes his time to put his boot back on so Rangers take it quickly anyway and the chance goes, over and out for a goal kick.
    • 44' Rangers charge forward, Whittaker from the halfway line through the middle, he delays the pass and slips it through to Darcheville in the box, he drags wide and drills in a low shot which McManus deflects and just wide of the post!
    • 42' McDonald played through by a long pass, but he bent his diagonal run just a bit too early and is offside.
    • 40' Rangers come forward, into the right channel to Darcheville who has the Celtic defenders on the back foot and he has support from McCulloch and Davis but, oh dear, he tries an ill-advised shot and sends it very high and not very handsome.
    • 37' Celtic have a free kick on the edge of their box after McCulloch swung an elbow. Obviously Kenny Clark is letting these things go first-time, giving the players the benefit of the doubt. The first one by Robson, however, was nasty and if it had been any other stage in any other kind of match we'd have seen a card.
    • 36' Great delivery by Robson which McGregor palms away under pressure and Celtic still have it but the whistle goes for a foul and Rangers breathe again.
    • 35' Darcheville gives the ball away, Hinkel is free on the right and he swings over a cross but put behind for a corner.
    • 34' Hartley makes a mistake, giving the ball to Whittaker but he's intercepted on the edge of the box and Celtic survive that little scare. Rangers not by any means out of this but really under the cosh.
    • 33' Papac on the left, short for Davis but gets it back and sends a very good cross far post but headed away by Naylor. Celtic counter but there's an infringement by the men in green and white and Rangers have a free kick deep inside their own half.
    • 31' Rangers with a rare foray forward, Dailly on the left, into Ferguson but Rangers lose it and Broadfoot slides into McGeady for the first Rangers booking of the evening.
    • 29' Headed away at the near post by Davey Weir. Still with Celtic as Nakamura gives Whittaker hell before firing in a low drive which is blocked.
    • 28' McDonald wins another corner on the left, Nakamura jogs over...
    • 26' The ball drops at the feet of DAVIS but he sends a quite woeful effort curling in the wrong direction entirely, almost hits the corner flag on the right.
    • 24' Celtic again come forward into Rangers' half, the visitors unable to get past the halfway line at the moment.
    • 21' Rangers still reeling from that strike and they concede another corner on the left, which Nakamura takes but is cleared.
    • 20' The ball drops to Nakamura midway inside the Rangers half, he lets it bounce and he hammers in a speculative shot AND OH MY WORD IT FLIES AT 100 MPH AND SWERVES THREE TIMES TO FLY PAST MCGREGOR FOR 1-0!! What an incredible goal, it turned inside and out several times before deciding to zip past the Rangers keeper. His first Old Firm goal - and what a goal.
    • 19' Robson goes far post this time, super ball which CALDWELL HEADS DOWN AND MCDONALD ON THE LINE but headed away by Whittaker and Papac out for the corner! Another good delivery from Robson on the right, but Cuellar with a desperate header over his own bar. Nakamura takes the umpteenth corner but this one is well-cleared. Phew.
    • 18' Free-kick to Celtic on the left, again Nakamura… headed out for a corner as Celtic move into the ascendance. Robson whips it in but headed away by Papac at the near post.
    • 16' Corner to Celtic on the left which Nakamura will take... good far post delivery but nodded away by Papac.
    • 14' Hartley goes in late on McCulloch, catching the former Wigan man on the right ankle, sending him up in the air and earning the first booking of the night.
    • 12' Hartley gives the ball away on the left… a pretty frantic start to this game, high on tempo, not so much on quality.
    • 10' Nakamura plays Hesselink through, he escaped the Rangers defence and is clean in but his touch lets him down and it runs closer to McGregor, who blocks and gets a boot from the Dutchman in the process. Again, that should have been a free-kick to Rangers as Hesselink had lost the ball and just went right into McGregor.
    • 5' Celtic come forward now, Robson on the left with a run to win a corner. No joy for the Hoops though as Rangers clear.
    • 3' Corner to Rangers on the right which Ferguson will swing in... near post, missed by the defender and Dailly tries a flicked header but well-wide.
    • 1' Already a flashpoint as Robson elbows Dailly in the face. It was deliberate, dangerous and bang out of order but - shockingly - Kenny Clark doesn't even show a card. People get reds for a quarter of that and Dailly is rightly furious. If Dailly wasn't significantly harder than Robson that would have cracked his cheek open.
    • 1' Match underway!
    • - Hello and welcome to eurosport.yahoo.com's LIVE coverage of the penultimate Old Firm derby this season, between Celtic and Rangers at Parkhead - Celtic MUST win if they are to have any chance of closing the gap on the SPL leaders. From 19:45!

  • Summary

    • - Oh dear, handbags after the final whistle, Ferguson's involved in some kind of he-man contest with the Celtic players, Strachan is on the pitch to pull his players away.
    • 90+4 Caldwell about 30 yards out, he dinks a ball looking for McDonald on the left hand side of the six yard box, the Aussie nods it back across goal AND JAN VENNEGOOR OF HESSELINK RISES TO FLICK HOME A HEADER INTO THE BOTTOM RIGHT TO WIN IT FOR CELTIC! Title race on!
    • 90' A whopping FIVE minutes injury-time for Celtic to get something here.
    • 85' McGeady comes charging forward, he cuts inside and sends a brilliant ball for SAMARAS WHO RISES WITH A HEADER but he can't get decent contact on it and the ball spins wide!
    • 74' As McGregor receives treatment the Rangers doctor is hit by a coin thrown by an idiot in the crowd. McGregor has his ankle strapped and will continue.
    • 70' You've got to feel for Cuellar - he's been brilliant for Rangers since signing in the summer - and McDonald steps up to take the penalty… AND A BRILLIANT SAVE FROM MCGREGOR DIVING LOW TO HIS RIGHT!! And he holds onto the loose ball too! Great stop, especially given his injury.
    • 69' The ball drops to Nakamura on the egde of the box and he hammers an unstoppable shot over the stranded McGregor and Cuellar on the line handles it onto the bar! Penalty and a red card! Oh no!
    • 66' Robson slips Hinkel in on the right, he cuts inside and he can shoot but it's blocked, it falls to Hesselink but he can't dig a shot out and Rangers clear!
    • 58' McDonald is in and can shoot on goal but saved by McGregor! Whistle went for a foul by Hesselink in the build-up, McGregor is injured too after landing awkwardly.
    • 55' Now a long ball into the right channel finds Novo free after he continued his run after being tackled by Wilson, he keeps his balance as it bounces into the box, Wilson is still upfield and he has a shot AND DRILLS IT LOW INTO THE BOTTOM LEFT FOR 1-1! Massive goal for Rangers, an inspired substitution by Smith, who realised that Darcheville was getting no support.
    • 44' Rangers charge forward, Whittaker from the halfway line through the middle, he delays the pass and slips it through to Darcheville in the box, he drags wide and drills in a low shot which McManus deflects and just wide of the post!
    • 20' The ball drops to Nakamura midway inside the Rangers half, he lets it bounce and he hammers in a speculative shot AND OH MY WORD IT FLIES AT 100 MPH AND SWERVES THREE TIMES TO FLY PAST MCGREGOR FOR 1-0!! What an incredible goal, it turned inside and out several times before deciding to zip past the Rangers keeper. His first Old Firm goal - and what a goal.
    • 19' Robson goes far post this time, super ball which CALDWELL HEADS DOWN AND MCDONALD ON THE LINE but headed away by Whittaker and Papac out for the corner! Another good delivery from Robson on the right, but Cuellar with a desperate header over his own bar. Nakamura takes the umpteenth corner but this one is well-cleared. Phew.
    • 10' Nakamura plays Hesselink through, he escaped the Rangers defence and is clean in but his touch lets him down and it runs closer to McGregor, who blocks and gets a boot from the Dutchman in the process. Again, that should have been a free-kick to Rangers as Hesselink had lost the ball and just went right into McGregor.

Live Team Line-Up

  • Referee: K Clark

  • Celtic

    Manager: Gordon Strachan

    Captain: Stephen McManus

    On the Field

    • Boruc
    • Hinkel
    • McManus
    • Caldwell
    • Naylor Substitution Out (45′)
    • Nakamura Goal
    • Robson Substitution Out (75′)
    • Hartley Yellow Card
    • McGeady
    • McDonald
    • Vennegoor of Hesselink Goal Yellow Card

    Subs

    • Balde
    • Donati
    • Brown
    • McGovern
    • Samaras Substitution In75′
    • Wilson Substitution In45′
    • Sno

    Injured

    None

    Suspended

    • Brown

  • Rangers

    Manager: Walter Smith

    Captain: Barry Ferguson

    On the Field

    • McGregor Substitution Out (78′)
    • Broadfoot Yellow Card Substitution Out (45′)
    • Cuéllar Red Card
    • Weir
    • Papac
    • Davis
    • Ferguson
    • Dailly
    • Whittaker
    • Darcheville Substitution Out (84′)
    • McCulloch

    Subs

    • Cousin Substitution In84′
    • Alexander Substitution In78′
    • Novo Substitution In45′ Goal
    • Boyd
    • Naismith Yellow Card
    • McMillan
    • Furman

    Injured

    • Beasley
    • Adam

    Suspended

    • Thomson