GLASGOW -- Celtic cruised to a comfortable 2-0 win over Rangers as one of the world's most ferocious rivalries returned with a predictable result.
Leigh Griffiths and Kris Commons' first-half strikes proved enough for Celtic to get the win over their great rivals, with Rangers offering plenty of energy but a complete lack of composure and quality.
As Celtic were overwhelming favourites before the game, this was not an impressive performance from either side, with the only moment of real quality coming from Commons -- a man who looks set for the exit door at Celtic Park. Despite that, the atmosphere was typically raucous.
Any suggestion that the uniquely lopsided nature of this Old Firm game would soon prove false as both sides defiantly ran through their unedited repertoire as soon as the stadium was half-full. So far, it looked like an Old Firm game. And at first, it did on the pitch too -- Rangers were not too badly outmatched in general play and indeed were getting forward more. On 13 minutes, however, Celtic took the lead against the run of play, with Leigh Griffith escaping Lee McCulloch and heading back across goal, squeezing the ball past a lacklustre Steve Simonsen.
There was talk that the police had talked to both sets of players before the game asking them to keep celebrations sensible, so Griffiths will have endeared himself even less to the Scottish constabulary after immediately making a beeline for the Rangers end, causing an already hostile atmosphere to go into overdrive.
Rangers reacted to the goal well (uncharacteristically), with their energetic pressing causing Celtic problems, but the old problem of being unable to find a killer ball severely dogged them, with Lewis MacLeod's absence continuing to devastate an already severely-limited side.
Yet Rangers continued to press -- surprisingly, it was Celtic who were putting in most of the reducers, with Kenny McDowall probably not too pleased that his pre-match plea to keep yellow cards at a minimum was duly obliged.
Yet Celtic looked far more dangerous when they did venture forward, and another error, Fraser Aird doing well to track back and win the ball before playing a suicidal pass, resulting in Commons lashing in a trademark long-range effort with Simonsen a spectator.
Rangers had been equal to Celtic in general play up until then, but they were by now wide open and a humiliation looked a distinct possibility. Suddenly all cohesion was gone, A poor call from the referee saved a near-certain third when Griffiths was put clean through on goal but the move was pulled back for a foul.
With Miller giving the sort of ineffective, isolated Hampden performance that seemed to define his Scotland career, McDowall decided to bring on some more firepower in the second half, replacing Aird with Jon Daly. The second half saw Rangers struggle, and the atmosphere soon turned darker as both teams exchanged frustrated, niggly fouls and the tempo of the game was lost, with the referee proving lenient to an absurd degree.
Rangers seized a second wind on the hour mark though, with Daly's introduction allowing a more direct approach which saw them at least get the ball in the box, but despite Daly generally having the better of his markers in the air, it failed to produce a clear chance. When they did come, Celtic proved efficient at getting the ball away from the edge of the area and denying Nicky Law his usual space.
The game will have been a disappointment to Rangers -- they were not outplayed to anywhere near the extent imagined before the game, but there were some shocking lapses in concentration and composure on show from even their most experienced players - they will have to look at this as a real missed opportunity to beat Celtic when all odds were against them. This time, though, they will hope the opportunity doesn't come again, as eyes turn to the chaos off the pitch at the club instead. For Ronny Deila, the outcome of such an emotional tie will leave only one left -- relief.
from SBNation.com - All Posts http://ift.tt/1BKJmEc
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