title race with an overwhelming 3-0 win over Celtic in
today's opening 'Old Firm' fixture of the season at
Ibrox.
It was a thoroughly deserved and well-merited victory
for the Light Blues who truly outclassed their great
rivals, who as so often in the past demonstrated a
sportsmanlike attitude to adversity with no fewer than
nine players yellow-carded.
Manager Walter Smith made three changes to his
injury-ravaged side from the Hibernian game of a
fortnight ago - Lee McCulloch, Nacho Novo and Daniel
Cousin replacing Steven Whittaker, Brahim Hemdani and
Kris Boyd.
Celtic were first to threaten - Jiri Jarosik's
overhead kick from a Shunsuke Nakamura cross being
touched wide by Allan McGregor.
Before the corner could be taken however, the first
incident of the game blew up when Scott McDonald was
involved with McGregor. The Australian striker was
yellow-carded by Referee Mike McCurry, who was about
to have a busy afternoon, but McDonald could consider
himself fortunate that the card was not of a stronger
hew, given that he had aimed a kick at the goalkeeper.
Rangers were soon taking the game to their opponents -
and Charlie Adam saw his twenty-yard free-kick flash
inches over in the twentieth minute.
The opening goal was just seven minutes away - Alan
Hutton's cross to the far post seeing Celtic's central
defenders statuesque, enabling Novo to ghost in behind
them to send a flying header past the despairing Artur
Boruc into the net.
Novo was on fire - on the half-hour mark he sent a
curling fifteen-yard shot from Adam's pass just over.
Ten minutes later Massimo Donati's thirty-yard shot
was touched over by McGregor as Celtic sought to
achieve parity by the interval.
Stephen McManus was stretchered off in 42 minutes
following a clash of heads with Daniel Cousin. His
departure was a blow to Celtic, and the player was
applauded off the park from all sides of the ground,
being replaced by John Kennedy.
The visitors restarted on the offensive, Donati
shooting wide from a Gary Caldwell cross sixty seconds
in, then five minutes later Caldwell himself saw his
drive following a Nakamura free-kick beaten out by
McGregor.
Barry Ferguson, majestic in the middle of the park,
made it 2-0 in 55 minutes with an opportunist strike
after a Cousin cross had been headed into the path of
McCulloch by Caldwell, Lee's volley being blocked by
Kennedy before the Ibrox captain swooped.
Celtic continued to search for the goal that would
give them a lifeline - Donati's header from Caldwell's
cross in 73 minutes being turned wide by McGregor.
The outcome of the game was put beyond any doubt
however in 78 minutes when Novo made it 3-0 from the
penalty spot after Evander Sno had upended Adam as he
weaved his way through the Celtic defence.
The little Spaniard went off to a standing ovation
immediately afterwards, being replaced by Steven
Naismith.
Three minutes later, as Celtic searched in vain for a
consolation goal, Donati, arguably the visitors best
player, saw his flick from a Lee Naylor free-kick held
by McGregor.
The game boiled over once again in 86 minutes when no
fewer than five players were yellow-carded in the one
incident following a touchline stramash. It all
started when Hutton clashed with Naylor, and as both
goalkeepers and Darren O'Dea became involved all five
found their way into the referee's notebook.
That took the crime count to eleven during a
remarkable ninety minutes, only two of who were
wearing the blue of Rangers.
With Celtic fans leaving the ground in their droves, a
fourth goal for McCulloch was incorrectly disallowed
for offside after substitute DaMarcus Beasley's shot
had been pushed out by Boruc.
Had the goal stood, Rangers would have gone above
their great rivals on goal difference - but the Light
Blue legions amongst the 50,428 crowd could accept
that setback.
At the final whistle Celtic goalkeeper Artur Boruc
demonstrated his customary good grace and
sportsmanship, refusing to shake hands with his
opponents.
It was Rangers' most emphatic 'Old Firm' win in seven
years, and afterwards a delighted Walter Smith
summarised:
"I'm delighted to win. We showed spirit and
commitment. Defeat would have made the title race
awkward for us. It's asking a lot to try to win every
game - but that's what you face when you're in the
Champions League."
Celtic Manager Gordon Strachan was honest enough to
admt:
"Rangers fully deserved to win."
RANGERS McGregor; Hutton, Weir, Cuellar, Papac;
McCulloch, Thomson, Ferguson, Adam, Novo (Naismith
78); Cousin (Beasley 75)
UNUSED SUBS Faye, Carroll, Whittaker, Lennon, Emslie
CELTIC Boruc; Caldwell, McManus (Kennedy 42), O'Dea,
Naylor; Nakamura (McGeady 58), S. Brown, Sno, Donati,
Jarosik; McDonald
UNUSED SUBS Riordan, M. Brown, O'Brien, Bjarnason,
Cuthbert
REFEREE Mike McCurry
Attendance 50,428