CELTIC 0 RANGERS 1
CATASTROPHIC Celtic’s eight days of misery were completed with a third successive defeat at Parkhead this afternoon.
Once again, Martin O’Neill’s side were a shambles as they practically presented three points to the Ibrox side.
Not even 60,000 fans could inspire a disjointed, desperate Hoops side in a must-win encounter.
The champions went into the match on the back of defeats in the Premier Sports League Cup in Govan a week ago and the Europa League Cup on Thursday.
The Hoops resorted to long, aimless through balls as they desperately sought the equaliser that never came.
It was another guileless display from the home side with too many performers proving conclusively they are not equipped for these challenges.
In the first-half, Celtic had an Auston Trusty goal chalked off while Kieran Tierney thrashed a shot off the crossbar – before the Ibrox side took a 33rd-minute goal to silence the crowd.
OUT OF LUCK…Celtic defender Auston Trusty thumps the ball past keeper Ivor Pandour, but his goal is ruled out for offisde.
It was quite incredible as the Hoops were on the front foot for most of the opening 45 minutes, but just could not get a goal to prove their superiority.
Martin O’Neill’s men thought they had claimed a fifth-minute breakthrough when Benjamin Nygren swung in a free-kick from the right and Liam Scales nodded down to Trusty.
The US international hit the ball first time with his right foot and there was no chance for Ivor Pandour as his effort bulged the net.
Unfortunately, Scales was just offside in the move and it was ruled out.
And Dame Fortune scowled on the champions again just before the half-hour mark when Nygren and Luke McCowan combined to set up Tierney racing into the box on the left.
The defender met the pass perfectly and the ball was a blur as it zipped high past the helpless keeper, but thudded off the top of the crossbar and behind.
The visitors were also most fortunate to escape going a man down after Manny Fernadez, who had been booked in the fourth minute for flooring Camilo Duran, recklessly clattered into Nygren 13 minutes later.
Images later proved it was a foul, but referee John Beaton waved play on and Derek McInnes was allowed to breathe a sigh of relief.
AGONY…Kieran Tierney holds his head in hands after watching his shot thumpe off the Ibrox side’s crossbar.
Mika Baur was struggling in midfield and too many moves broke down with the German midfielder.
It didn’t get much better for Celtic when the visitors took the lead following a left-wing corner-kick from James Penrice.
Liam Scales headed out straight to Kim Min-su who fired in a drive from 25 yards. Viljami Sinisalo pushed the effort away, Trusty was slow to react and Ryan Naderi nipped in front of him to knock the rebound into the net.
That was the goal that settled another disappointing outing for the Hoops who may still be two points ahead in the Premiership, but are certainly not playing like champions.
The visitors could have doubled their advantage three minutes after their matchwinner when Luke McCowan presented them with the ball and it was worked to Djeidi Gassama who got clear to smash a shot off the junction of bar and post.
The midfielder was replaced by Kasper Hogh at the interval, but, worryingly, the club’s record signing contributed very little in his 45 minutes-plus on the pitch.
The nearest the hosts came to a goal in the second-half came shortly after the turnaround when Baur’s left-wing cross was headed goalwards by Colby Donovan and Pandour was forced to produce a smart one-handed save to his right.
In the 53rd minute, Sinisalo had to get down to his left to push away a low drive from Penrice as the Ibrox club proved menacing on the breakaway.
MISERY…Viljami Sinisalo and Auston Trusty can’t prevent Ryan Naderi scoring the only goal of the game at Parkhead.
Celtic went through a phase of giving the ball away and McGregor, Tierney and Scales were among the culprits.
In the 71st minute, Tierney and Duran were withdrawn as O’Neill threw on Haissem Hassan and Sebastian Tounekti.
Four minutes later, the Ibrox club thought they had scored a second when once again the home side struggled to clear a corner-kick and centre-back Olwethu Makhanya walloped in the rebound.
But he clearly handled the ball and the effort was immediately ruled out.
In the 89th minute, in a last throw of the dice, on-loan Chelsea striker Shim Mheuka replaced Scales who had proved conclusively in this match that accurate passing is not his forte.
It was another distressing showing from Celtic as they got lost in a minefield.
Martin O’Neill has much work ahead of him during the international break.
TEAM: Sinisalo; Donovan, Carter-Vickers, Trusty, Scales (sub: Mheuka 89); McCowan, (sub: Hogh 46), McGregor, Baur, Tierney (sub: Hassan 71); Nygren (sub: Forrest 63), Duran (sub: Tounekti 71).
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