So, it’s as you were in an enthralling Scottish Premiership title race, Rangers and Celtic playing out a 3-3 draw in the blue side of Glasgow as the top of the table remained unchanged.
But, for Ibrox icon Graeme Souness, the manner in which Rangers claimed a point on Sunday afternoon – from 2-0 and 3-2 down – means the hosts will be a lot happier with how things panned out than their green-clad visitors, even if Philippe Clement’s side did miss the chance to really firm up their status as favourites for the crown.
Celtic opened the scoring after just 21 seconds, Daizen Maeda hounding down James Tavernier from kick off. As Matt O’Riley doubled the lead from the penalty spot, Brendan Rodgers’ team looked destined for three very comfortable points, only the masterful Jack Butland keeping Rangers in it until the interval.
But in what quickly became a classic ‘game of two halves’, the hosts were a team transformed after the interval. A trademark Tavernier penalty, a deflected Abdallah Sima strike, and then a stoppage time Rabbi Matondo stunner ensured that Rangers clambered back off the canvas and denied Celtic the chance to land a potential knockout blow at the top of the table.
Rabbi Matondo rescues Rangers against Celtic
“I’m watching Matondo’s goal on the telly!,” Souness says, reminding himself of the glory of the Welshman’s 93rd minute stunner in the talkSPORT studios (8 April, 11am).
“I think, at the end of the game, I think Rangers would have felt better. For Celtic, they’ve scored after 25 seconds. They get off to a flyer and they were fabulous in the first half.
“For Rangers to claw their way back into the game, for Celtic to score a third goal with minutes to go, and then Matondo steps in and scores a wondergoal…
“Celtic will have seen it as a game they should have won. Rangers made a very poor start, got themselves back into it, and played very well in the second-half.
“I think they showed great character to come back and I think the momentum is with Rangers. As good as Celtic were in the first half, Rangers were equally good in the second.”
Philippe Clement’s side retain their advantage
Adam Idah’s 87th minute heartbreaker looked destined to undo all off Rangers’ good work. This, however, is a very different Gers side these days. The brittleness of the Mick Beale era has been replaced by a steely, dead-eyed discipline.
On the subject of ‘discipline’ former Gers midfielder and manager Souness was far from impressed by the sight of Fabio Silva flopping onto the turf with every opportunity. But he disagrees with Chris Sutton’s assessment of the penalty Fosbury Fabio won just after there break, the Celtic-mad Sky Sports pundit hammering the Wolves loanee as he hit the deck after a challenge from Alistair Johnston.
“100 per cent. 100 per cent (it is a penalty),” Souness argues, albeit while making clear his disapproval of the forward’s antics.
“Silva is a diver, he’s embarrassing himself. But that was a penalty, the defender cut across his knees with his dangling foot. I can’t believe how biased Chris is when he’s taking about Rangers.”
