Rangers 2-2 Celtic: Player ratings as Kyogo strikes late to salvage draw
By Tom Gott
Celtic had a late strike from Kyogo Furuhashi to thank as they salvaged a 2-2 draw with Rangers on Monday afternoon.
The visitors came into the game nine points clear at the top of the table but it was Rangers who looked the better of the two sides for large parts of this game, and they will be hugely disappointed to have thrown away a late lead.
Rangers had the first shot of the game 14 seconds in through Ryan Kent, but it was Celtic who drew first blood as Daizen Maeda pounced on a shocking back-pass from Alfredo Morelos, beat two defenders and slotted home just five minutes into the game.
Morelos had a handful of good opportunities to equalise before the break, while Kent had the hosts' best sight of the first half after a mistake from Joe Hart, with the Hoops stopper hitting a clearance against Morelos but atoning for his error with an excellent save.
Michael Beale's side eventually made their dominance count just two minutes after the interval. Fashion Sakala fed through Kent, whose curling effort was too precise for Hart to keep out.
Buoyed by the equaliser, Rangers kept flying forwards and they were gifted the chance to take the lead from the penalty spot soon after as Sakala was cythed to the ground by Carl Starfelt and, predictably, James Tavernier made no mistake from the spot to net his 100th career goal. Not bad for a right-back.
Celtic had a shout for a spot kick of their own waved away despite Starfelt's strike hitting the arm of Connor Goldson, but both the referee and VAR were happy to let the incident go unpunished.
It looked like Ange Postecoglou's side were facing defeat but, with two minutes to go, up stepped Kyogo to fire through a crowded penalty box and secure a first draw of the season for Celtic, who remain nine points clear at the top of the pile.
Rangers player ratings (4-2-3-1)
GK: Allan McGregor (6); RB: James Tavernier (8); CB: Connor Goldson (6); CB: Ben Davies (6); LB: Borna Barisic (6); DM: Glen Kamara (6); DM: John Lundstram (8); RM: Fashion Sakala (8); AM: Malik Tillman (6); LM: Ryan Kent (8); ST: Alfredo Morelos (6)
Substitutes: Ryan Jack (6); Scott Wright (6); James Sands (N/A)
Celtic player ratings (4-3-3)
GK: Joe Hart (6); RB: Alistair Johnson (7); CB: Cameron Carter-Vickers (7); CB: Carl Starfelt (6); LB: Greg Taylor (6); CM: Callum McGregor (7); CM: Matt O'Riley (6); CM: Reo Hatate (8); RW: Daizen Maeda (8); ST: Kyogo Furuhashi (7); LW: James Forrest (6)
Substitutes: Josip Juranovic (6); Liel Abada (6); Aaron Mooy (6); Georgios Giakoumakis (5); Jota (6)