BRENDAN RODGERS apologised to the Celtic supporters after the champions’ dismal 3-2 derby loss at Parkhead yesterday.
The Hoops were massively disappointing as they collapsed to defeat for the second consecutive all-Glasgow affair and, bewilderingly, they have now conceded NINE goals in three games against their city foes.
Kasper Schmeichel had to retrieve the ball from his net three times in the 3-3 Premier Sports League Cup Final at Hampden in December before Rodgers’ men won the silverware 5-4 on penalty-kicks.
That was followed a couple of weeks later with a 3-0 flop at Ibrox and now the Danish keeper has suffered an identical fate after Hamza Igamane was presented with a late third and winning goal in the latest defeat.
The hosts were two goals adrift at the interval after an early header from Nico Raskin and then a close-range drive from Mohamed Diomande had given Barry Ferguson’s side an unlikely advantage.
Daizen Maeda and Reo Hatate had Celtic all-square after the turnaround as they chased victory before Cameron Carter-Vickers made a mess at an attempted header from a straight forward Jack Butland goal-kick down the middle.
Alistair Johnston slipped as the ball ran to Igamane and then the Canadian made a half-hearted attempt at a tackle.
The Moroccan accepted the gift and clattered an unstoppable effort high past the stranded Schmeichel.
Rodgers, with a fair degree of understatement, said: “Firstly, the message to the supporters is, we apologies because we always want to win games here and against our big rivals, so, for them, it’s not a great feeling.
“Our message to the players is, we have to be much better. That’s what we spoke about afterwards.
“In every facet of the game we have to be much better and if you’re going to be a champion this year, you’ve got to go and show that you’re a champion and you’ve got to earn it.”
The champions, in pursuit of their fourth successive title, are 13 points clear with only eight games to play and their next encounter following the international break will be against Hearts at Parkhead in 12 days’ time.
Rodgers, speaking to Celtic TV, continued: “It was a disappointing result. It’s never nice to lose these games.
“We went behind early and that gave them a good feeling in the game.
“We had opportunities in the first-half, but I don’t think we played well enough or had great control of the game. There were too many misplaced passes and just not aggressive enough in our game.
“In saying that, Jack Butland made some really good saves.
“We made a change at half-time, came out and got the early goal, then you could feel the energy in the stadium and we were in a really good place.
“It was a fantastic goal and then at 2-1 we have the impetus in the game and when we got to 2-2, I felt there was only one team that was going to win the game.”
Rodgers added: “We had opportunities and Butland made some good saves again, but then sadly for us, Ali slips which is unfortunate, we missed the first header and all of a sudden the guy puts the ball in the top corner.
“So, I felt that probably a draw was fair – they were better in the first half and we were better in the second-half – but if you don’t defend well enough, that can happen.
