Celtic will have to keep the Champagne on ice for a while longer after failing to collect the three points required to win the league at Ibrox this afternoon. The champions-elect looked nervous early on with few looking comfortable in possession, allowing Rangers significant periods of possession. After only 10 minutes Rangers were ahead when Sone Aluko beat Thomas Rogne before cutting inside Charlie Mulgrew and firing a shot past Forster in the Celtic goal.
Celtic scarcely featured as an attacking threat in the first half but moments after going behind Georgios Samaras produced one of the most scintillating pieces of skill on the day. The Greek international collected the ball 70 yards from goal, beat four opponents before his shot from 12 yards was saved by Alan McGregor. Anthony Stokes mishit the rebound allowing McGregor to tip over.
Stokes forced a further save from McGregor with a fine volley after controlling on his chest but the game was soon to look ominous for Celtic. Cha Du-Ri was caught wrong side of Lee Wallace and made the slighted touch on the Rangers player who went to ground two yards outside the penalty area. Referee Calum Murray sent Cha off despite the covering attendance of Charlie Mulgrew.
Despite their numerical advantage Rangers seemed content to prevent Celtic scoring, Fraster Forster didn’t make a single save while Celtic were numerically on level terms or only a single man down. Ten minutes after the break Victor Wanyama was red carded for a two footed tackle on Steven Whittaker.
Lee McCulloch was fortunate to remain on the field after elbowing Scott Brown on the head. In a carbon copy of the incident which ended Beram Kayal’s season in December, McCulloch went to ground after the incident until attended by a physio, which perhaps tempered the referee’s response. Clever, if predictable.
With things clearly not going their way Celtic then lost an offside goal. Celtic had an opportunity to make an attempt on goal when they won a free kick 28 yards out. With Charlie Mulgrew still running into position Scott Brown played a quick pass to Kris Commons but Celtic players were crowded out by a number of opponents and lost possession. Rangers broke forward and applied pressure which brought the best out of Fraser Forster but Andrew Little put Rangers two ahead from what was clearly an offside position.
A further breakaway on the 77th minute resulted in Lee Wallace putting Rangers three goals ahead.
Despite being two goals down substitute Kris Commons started to dictate play and brought Celtic their best period of possession. In the 89th minute Georgios Samaras broke through the Rangers defence but was scythed to the ground by Bocanegra. The referee awarded a penalty and ordered the Rangers player off. Scott Brown scored the penalty
Moments later Commons got the better of Whittaker on Celtic’s left before being brought down by the Rangers player. Commons found Thomas Rogne with the resultant free kick which the defender powered home.
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Beyonce
Neil Lennon sent off – but not allowed into the stand?
They really do make it up as they go along.
share
Cheated
Sack the Board
Champagne chilling nicely.
Wouldn’t be surprised to hear we scored when Sky was down.
3-2 against 9 men and holding on, sums them up! Need all the help they can get and they got some today.
Champagne will be well chilled for the party.
Don’t normally repost from an old article but it has to be said.
Steinreignedsupreme on 25 March, 2012 at 16:29
I second that comment.
Celtic worked their backsides off to get a result there, they were cheated, the linesman calls in the first half were also shocking so it wasn’t just the referee.
Murray was wanting a 5-0 or similar scoreline, Celtic fought them to the death and Murray had to blow early to stop us making the most incredible of comebacks.
I’m Delighted with Celtic and the Spirit they showed today, absolutely Delighted with Celtic.
From previous thread.
The clearest red card of the day was Mccullochs assault on brown..go watch it again.
ur they deed yet?
Petec – agreed. The Bhoys showed a lot of bottle today.
Anyone got a link to Lenny’s interview?
Beaten today but we will win the league.
A championship for us, liquidation for them
When Hooper came on in injury time the mib should have added 30 seconds on for the substitution, instead he blew early. Feckin panto for the hun hordes
alex thomson@alextomo
RFC/CFC report #c4news tonight at 5.15
Astonishing performance by Celtic in the face of a blatant agenda, which left us with only nine players on the pitch.
A remarkable result in the end, which will make the SPL Flag return to Paradise all the more sweet.
That was their season today they have nothing else to look forward to apart from the ‘legneds’ game on Friday night.
Looking forward to winning the league and paying them back at Celtic Park if they make it.
Neil Lennon BBC Interview
mncelt – link to lenny interview.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/scotland/17504839?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter
From previous thread:
I just don’t know what to say, but I’m going to have a go…
1) We have turned in several ponderous performances in past 5 weeks. I wonder why?
2) They looked more up for it TBH. Despite that we had more shots and more on target than they did (first half)
3) Sammi was this match’s Robbie Kean. Would need to have been handed his leg before getting a free kick.
4) I hate to say it but we’d have screamed for Wallace to be sent off if roles reversed. (We probably would have been denied tho)
5) Vic a bit unlucky to be sent off.
6) Not enough from Ki, Joe, Adam, Vic
7) Sammi was great.
8) Hope Neil loses the blinkers re KC, tho I think he’ll be gone in close season (KC that is!)
Watching this side is a bit like watching the ‘Tic in the early 60s. Young, loads of talent, wonderful performances, surprising defeats and everyone on edge wondering if they’d ever make it.
Celtic cured the problems by getting a genius in JS AND signing Ronnie, Joe McBride & especially Wee Bertie. OK we might not lay our hands on a genius but we can recruit experience & streets-wise on the pitch to help the young men along.
I remain positive. Can’t judge on a game largely played by 9 men.
Even if Lennie was harshly treated I really want him to stay away from the refs. At half time he has a job to do and thats not it.
Anybody answering the question why Neil was not allowed into the stand?
Paul67
It was obviously decided at the lodge meeting during the week there would be no title party at ibrox.
The bares can enjoy inconveniencing us today, I look forward to returning the favour at Celtic Park after the split.
HH
He’s some man that ref; Rangers players assaulted him last year and he didn’t even mention it in his report yet he sends off two of our players and the manager.
One nil down to a good goal.
Everythin after that can be written off, we’ll never know how it wouldve turned out 11 v 11.
Been here before to many times. Lenny did nothin wrong today. 27 wins, 2 lost – and i understand theyre big ones. But honestly, grow a pair.
Am off t the pub, wen i see them, am goin to smile. They slapped my face today, but when the leagues won, am gonnie kick them in the baws
.
JellyCopterSunday..
Does a Fly Past..
Summa
Fortunes Favour Mibbes on 25 March, 2012 at 16:32
It was a real circling of the wagons day today by the Masonic fraternities.
Tiocfaidh ár lá
There is a lot more to come from this, without hearing Neil’s interview, he is sounding confident and strong.
By the way der Huns went to the centre circle at f/t showed that those players will not be there next season. BB team for division 3 most likely. Good enough for these malcontents.
Forza Celtic!!!
Gordon_J backing Neil Lennon on 25 March, 2012 at 16:43
Thank You for the link.
quonno on 25 March, 2012 at 16:19 said:
===============
Correct but in my eyes the mibbery with the early sending off sealed our fate. Yes bad goal to let in, yes we started slow, who knows if we had 11v11.
I’m hurting, but not going to put the boot it, but thought young Matthews was at fault at the 2nd and 3rd goal, Wanyama gave away the ball for the first. I like the big man, but he is too slow in midfield at times and imo is not un-droppable (Is that a word ?) Mibbery cost us today.
HH
Tam’s mis-tackle
Cha’s tug
Victor’s lunge
Adam’s dozy play
Would’ve could’ve should’ve
Ah well
Not meant to be
LOVE being a Celtic fan
:)
“My players showed why they are going to be the Champions”
Neil Lennon
Celtic will win the league without kicking a ball. Huns will crash next week.
HH
Horrendous, inconsistent and scandalous performance from the ref. Walked out of the pub after the 2nd red card. Whilst driving home I foolishly put Radio 5 to hear Pat Nevin come out with a corker…
“Tremendous performance from Rangers. You have ask yourself if this Rangers team didn’t have their financial problems, they would probably go on to win the league again”
Unbelievable
Thanks for the link Agent Craig and Gordon. Neil spoke well after the game. Doesn’t sound like tis one is dead yet.
No ‘Jellicopter Sundae’ today but hopefully we will be celebrating next week
Best disciplinary record in the league and we get 3 straight reds when all we wanted to do was play and party,funny that.
Nae treble courtesy of Wullie Collum
Nae party courtesy of Calum Murray
Wonder what mib’s in line to feck the double up for us?
Constantly punished by the hun sfa and mibs to the undisguised glee of the hun meedia cheerleaders who in turn lead the hun hordes in their merry supremacist bouncy dances.
Foreign refs and the demise of the sfa is a must.
The huns are gonna die of their own accord,can’t come quick enough for me.
Cha’s red never a red, booking only.
Wanyama was stupid, you do see reds for that tho.
Gers second offside.
Lennon not allowed to do his job in second half.
And then murray ends the game a minute early incase we made a chance at the death. He blew b4 the 4 mins were up when there was stoppages & substitutions.
Disappointing we’ve gave them a few things to cheer about over the last week. Far too many passengers – ki and Matthews very disappointing.
Thoughts..
Neil picked the right team. If he had known Izzy was going to be more like his old self then he could have started with him, however based on what we have seen so far that would have been risky
The game was completely changed by Murray (yet another discredited member of that clan). We played fine until the sending off. Aluko scored a terrific goal, however that apart we had all the chances when it was 11 v 11. The first sending off was pathetic. Wrong on 3 counts.
1 it was not a foul
2. Wallace was 5 yards away from the ball when he collapsed
3. Mulgrew and Forster were both in a position to defend if Wallace had not collapsed to the ground
The second goal was offside. Missed by the same linesman who flagged Stokes offside when he was 2 yards onside
The Wanyama red card, in my view would only ever be given by a ref with an agenda.
Celttic may not have been at their best today, however the referee ensured that no matter how we could and may have played, we were never going to be given the chance .
Neils sending off , based on his version, seems utterly bizarre, however in keeping with Murrays day.
Final thought……Murdo McLeod is an idiot. Remember this is the guy who said he could “work harder” for Celtic if he was given a pay rise……sums him up really, and he’s never changed
neveralone on 25 March, 2012 at 16:45:
As lenny says, he has every right to quiz a ref at half time regarding “strange decisions”. I would expect my manager to ask why he gave a red card to cha, when it should have been a yellow to wallace and why samaras was consistantly fouled – with no award being given.
The day our manager stops asking questions will be the day we are sitting at the back of the bus again.
Cheated.
Excellent interview with Neil.
Sounds to me that there has definitely been interference again.
Fleming ????