Even Chris Sutton could not help but give credit where credit was due as Rangers secured a dramatic 3-2 Old Firm derby victory at Celtic Park thanks to Hamza Igamane’s late stunner.
The Celtic legend, watching on from the commentary gantry, saw The Hoops lose at home to their arch rivals for the first time since the Steven Gerrard era five years ago.
In the most pulsating and topsy-turvy of derbies, Rangers raced into a 2-0 half-time lead thanks to a clever Nico Raskin header and Mohamed Diomande’s cool volley.
Barry Ferguson has got the best out of the mercurial Diomande, Kris Boyd explains, while positioning him higher up the pitch as one of the two roving number tens behind Cyriel Dessers. The Ivorian’s his charging run into the box and calm finish was again justification for his tactical shift.
Two goals in the second half from the Japanese duo Daizen Maeda and Reo Hatate seemed the turn the tide in Celtic’s favour. But there would be a final, Shyamalan style twist in the tale as Rangers broke forward.
Hamza Igamane had not scored in two months. His 14th goal in a Gers shirt was therefore long overdue, and very much welcome.
- READ MORE: Who Has The Most Old Firm Wins of All-Time?
Chris Sutton hails Hamza Igamane as Rangers stun Celtic
As the ball bobbled up, Igamane lashed his finish into the top corner, giving Kasper Schmeichel not a chance in hell.
Sutton, a fine centre-forward in his own playing days, labelled Igamane’s finish a strike of ‘phenomenal’ quality. Alistair Johnston lost his balance in the build up – on a day when absolutely nothing went right for the right-back – but Igamane kept his.
And kept his head, for that matter.
“That ball stays hit,” Sutton said, his appreciation for the quality of Igamane’s finish almost seeing him forget his allegiences for a second. “Its a phenomenal strike. Johnston stumbles. Igamane didn’t stumble.
“Wallop. That’s a stunning finish, it really is.”
Igamane was not the only Rangers player who earned some pretty glowing appreciation for a man who you would usually need to torture praise out of when it comes to the side on the blue half of the city.
Jack Butland rolls back the years with Old Firm derby brilliance
Jack Butland was Rangers’ hero against Fenerbahce on Thursday night, denying both Dusan Tadic and Fred from the spot as Ferguson’s team set up a Europa League quarter-final tie with Athletic Bilbao.
In another riposte to his critics, Butland pulled off one of the saves of the season to tip Hatate’s wicked curling strike over the bar at 1-0.
“That’s a great right hand from Butland,” Sutton said. “I think we all thought it was heading in. That’s a sensational stop.”
In truth, the result matters little in terms of the league. Celtic are still 13 points clear, and cruising to the title.
Yet, Barry Ferguson insisted that Rangers still had a lot to play for – pride, rather than silverware – and this was another performance, like against Fenerbahce, which should give the fans hope of a brighter 2025 to come.
