Igamane’s late strike earns Rangers derby win despite Celtic comeback | Scottish Premiership

Hamza Igamane drove in a glorious late winner as Rangers beat Celtic 3-2 in a thrilling Old Firm match at Parkhead.

Nico Raskin headed the visitors in front from a corner in the fourth minute before Mohamed Diomande added a second in the 37th minute and Barry Ferguson’s side should have been further ahead at the interval.

Rangers booked a Europa League quarter-final against Athletic Bilbao with a dramatic penalty shootout win against Fenerbahce at Ibrox on Thursday but those 120 minutes took its toll after half-time.

The Celtic forward Daizen Maeda pulled a goal back four minutes into the second half and the midfielder Reo Hatate levelled in the 74th minute. But Rangers raced up the other end in the 88th minute and Igamane, on as a substitute for only a matter of minutes, fired high into the net for his side’s first league win at Celtic Park since 2020.

It was yet another eventful afternoon between the two Glasgow giants. Away fans were allowed inside Parkhead for an Old Firm game for the first time since 2023 and about 2,500 had to wait for two hours before kick-off with safety nets around them – before they went through the emotional wringer during the match.

The big team news was that because of injuries at centre-back, the Polish defender Maik Nawrocki was in for only his third Celtic appearance of the season, while the captain, Callum McGregor, was out through injury, replaced by Luke McCowan.

Rangers, with the left-back Ridvan Yilmaz in for Jefté, got off to a blistering start. The Celtic keeper Kasper Schmeichel made a fine save from Raskin’s drive to concede a corner, but then the Belgian midfielder beat Jeffrey Schlupp to James Tavernier’s delivery to the near post to steer in a header.

Celtic hit back and keeper Jack Butland made a great save from Hatate’s 25-yard drive. Vaclav Cerny should have made it 2-0 in the 16th minute after picking up Schmeichel’s poor clearance but instead of a quick return shot the Czech Republic winger dribbled too wide and Nawrocki cleared.

Leon Balogun’s header from another Tavernier corner was blocked by the Celtic midfielder Arne Engels but when Raskin raced into the box and headed on a Tavernier cross, unmarked Diomande chested the ball down and slid his shot low past Schmeichel.

Ferguson, the interim manager, was booked by the referee, Steven McLean, before Dujon Sterling hooked a Maeda header away from the Rangers crossbar and from the resultant corner, Butland made a great save from a Nawrocki header.

The Celtic striker Adam Idah replaced Nicolas Kuhn for the start of the second half and three minutes later Maeda reduced the deficit from Jota’s cross, climbing above Tavernier and Sterling to power in a header. The visitors looked fatigued and the Dutch defender Robin Propper took over from Balogun before Ianis Hagi replaced Diomande.

The Celtic support urged their side forward and there was joy when Hatate burst into the box and drove a McCowan pass into the far corner of the net.

Rangers seemed out on their feet and Ferguson looked to the bench again, bringing on Tom Lawrence, Igamane and Clinton Nsiala for Cerny, Sterling and Connor Barron.

There was more drama in the 88th minute when Igamane pulled the ball out of the air inside the Hoops box and thundered a drive high past Schmeichel. The Rangers fans went wild, although the Celtic right-back Alistair Johnston missed a great chance in the final seconds.