Key events
44 min: Matt O’Riley is booked for a lung on Tillman, that’s three for Celtic now. James Tavernier has a sighter from 25 yrds out with the free-kick.
38 mins: The lack of away fans is quite odd. When you’re expecting a certain kind of fan noise, it’s just not there. Case in point, Callum McGregor and Nicolas Raskin are both booked for a shoving match in the middle of the park. There is a lack of that secondary crowd reaction. Reminds me a bit of watching pandemic football.
35 mins: Celtic now controlling this. Rangers need a bit more from Morelos, win a few fouls in Celtic’s half to get up the pitch and break this up – that kind of thing.
30 mins: Jota is starting to get warmed up. First he reaches the byline from a long ball forward and digs out a cross that causes panic in the Rangers box. Then, after another misplaced pass, McGregor is forced into action again from a dangerous looking shot fired in from at least 30 yards. It was one of those physics-defying strikes taken with the instep that dips alarmingly. Anyone who played FIFA 04 will know what I am talking about.
28 mins: Rangers respond well to that setback as Cantwell and Tillman link up on the right, the latter gets the effort in but it slides a foot or so wide of Hart’s far post.
Goal! Celtic 1-0 (Kyogo, 26)
And just like that, I look a fool and Celtic have the lead. Great finish from Kyogo, brilliant play from O’Riley to create the chance. Greg Taylor finds O’Riley in the Rangers’ box, the winger’s first touch falls kindly for him to cut back to the Japanese forward who swivels and finishes past McGregor.
23 min: Celtic’s hairless wonders (Mooy and Maeda) have been chief culprits in this so far but the home side’s passing has been very sloppy. Had Morelos’ effort been allowed to stand you would have said Rangers woiuld have deserved it.
20 mins: Morelos has the ball in the net but his celebrations are cut short before he’s even able to figure out there are no Rangers fans to run towards. The referee reckons the Rangers man shoved over his marker at the corner. That is very soft, but the VAR agrees with the onfield official.
17 mins: First real bit of danger for Alan McGregor in the Rangers goal. Kyogo cuts in from the right nd tries to bend one in at the far post, but McGregor is able to get his palms to it and Cantwell is able to pick up the pieces to snuff out the danger.
15 min: Alistair Johnston is doing well to keep tabs on Tillman so far. The young German has been Rangers’ biggest threat so far, but Celtic’s right back has been able to match him stride for stride on the couple of occasions Tillman has had a chance to dribble forward.
12 min: This has been full-throttle since kick-off, unsurprisingly Celtic have had more of the ball but Rangers are here to play. Malik Tillman has started well and Todd Cantwell has been busy.
8 min: Carter-Vickers shaky start continues. He goes into the book for going through the back of Morelos.
5 min: Kyogo Furuhashi has the ball in the net but he’s well off-side. Tidy finish mind.
3 min: Another sloppy moment at the back for Celtic. This time Cameron Carter-Vickers leaves his back pass short. Had Alfredo Morelos been a little sharper he wouldd have had a big chance, Joe Hart came rushing out and Starfelt had to come across to snuff out the opportunity with his keeper stranded.
2 min: Aaron Mooy is usually very trustworthy with the ball at his feet but perhaps is still shaking off a bit of post-injury rust. He gives the ball away deep in his own half allowing Ryan Kent to seize it and drive into the box. The cance comes to nothing, Celtic cannot afford to be that sloppy.
1 min: We are underway.
The atmosphere looks electric at Celtic Park, shame there are no Rangers fans in the stadium. That is, frankly, a sad reflection of where things are at. That said, You’ll Never Walk Alone always makes the hairs on the back your stand up.
Right then, kick-off next.
Just to follow up on the team news, Beale confirms that Goldson injured his hip flexor in training and will have a scan on Monday to asses the damage. “It’s a big loss,” says Beale.
Interesting feature with Michael Beale on Sky, the Rangers head coach says the club effectively stood still last summer and that Postecoglou’s arrival spurred Celtic forward. It was not covincing interview if you are a Rangers fan hoping for a dramatic turnaround this season but Beale is asking to be judged on his work this summer and into the next campaign. Beale clearly wants a major overhaul of the squad before he takes on Celtic again.
The teams
Celtic starting XI: Hart, Johnston, Carter-Vickers, Starfelt, Taylor, McGregor, Mooy, O’Riley, Jota, Kyogo, Maeda.
Subs: Bain, Haksabanovic, Turnbull, Kobayashi, Oh, Iwata, Bernabei, Welsh, Vata.
Hatate, James Forrest and Liel Abada remain on the sidelines for Celtic.
Rangers starting XI: McGregor, Tavernier, Souttar, Davies, Barisic, Jack, Raskin, Cantwell, Tillman, Kent, Morelos.
Subs: McLaughlin, Yilmaz, Lundstram, Hagi, Colak, Kamara, Wright, Sakala, Arfield.
For Rangers, the big surprise is the absence of Connor Goldson, who is replaced by John Souttar. Leon King, Kemar Roofe, Tom Lawrence, Steven Davis and Filip Helander also remain out.
