Cyriel Dessers notched his 25th goal of the season, but it wasn’t enough to deliver Rangers a third as Celtic left Ibrox unscathed.
Read Also: Andy Okpe Clinches First League Title with Magusa Türk Gücü in Cyprus
Adam Idah’s second-half equaliser ensured a 1-1 draw in a fiery Scottish Premiership clash at Ibrox.
With the league title already secured by Celtic, there may have been nothing material at stake, but the intensity of the rivalry ensured a competitive and dramatic encounter.
The result extends Rangers’ winless streak at home against Celtic to seven matches—a record run without a home victory over their Glasgow rivals.
Rangers thought they had the early breakthrough when Nicolas Raskin’s header found the net, only to be ruled out by VAR for offside. Moments later, Leon Balogun rattled the crossbar from a corner as Brendan Rodgers’ side struggled to settle early on.
Despite their early pressure, Rangers were held at bay until just before the break. A swift counter-attack saw Vaclav Cerny dummy cleverly, allowing Dessers to shrug off Liam Scales and curl a composed finish into the corner—his 25th goal in a prolific season.
But Celtic responded after the interval. Daizen Maeda’s low cross from the left caused chaos in the box, and Idah reacted quickest, turning sharply and firing home via a deflection. The goal was initially flagged for offside but was awarded after a VAR review confirmed Maeda had not interfered with play.
The match remained wide open, with chances at both ends. Celtic’s Cameron Carter-Vickers forced a fine save from Liam Kelly, while Idah also saw a clear opportunity denied. Maeda had a late chance to seal it for the visitors but failed to convert.
In the end, Celtic emerged the more satisfied of the two, maintaining their 17-point lead over Rangers and preserving their unbeaten finish to the campaign.
Despite frustration for Barry Ferguson’s side, the performance of Dessers offers a silver lining as Rangers look ahead to regrouping for next season.
