Celtic 1-1 Rangers: Hosts closer to 52nd title after thrilling Old Firm derby draw

Jota (left) broke the deadlock after 20 minutes

Celtic inched closer to a 52nd Scottish title despite being held to a draw at home by nearest challengers Rangers.

Ange Postecoglou's side stay six points clear with only three games remaining and with a near insurmountable 19-goal advantage over the Premiership holders.

Celtic overcame early Rangers pressure to take the lead through Jota's close-range finish.

With the visitors looking out on their feet, Fashion Sakala fired them level to prolong the title race.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst had gone into the game admitting that it was a must-win game for his Rangers side, who are between legs in their Europa League semi-final with RB Leipzig.

Now unbeaten in 29 league games since September, Postecoglou's side effectively only need three points from their three remaining games - at home to Heart of Midlothian and Motherwell and away to Dundee United - to officially secure Celtic's 10th title in 11 years.

Rangers had turned the tables on their Glasgow rivals to win last month's Scottish Cup semi-final to ensure there would be no domestic treble for the League Cup winners and champions elect.

Van Bronckhorst, though, faced a dilemma of whether to make wholesale changes ahead of Thursday's attempt to overcome a 1-0 deficit with Leipzig.

Bringing in Scott Arfield, Steven Davis and Sakala for Ryan Jack, Glen Kamara and Scott Wright was enough fresh legs to allow Rangers to establish an early edge.

It should have led to an opening goal when Ryan Kent stole in front of Anthony Ralston to meet a James Tavernier cross but could not find the target from 10 yards.

Celtic were looking shaken but showed Rangers how it should be done after a similar move minutes later as forward Daizen Maeda's cross into the six-yard box found Jota stealing in front of Borna Barisic at the back post to prod home.

Jota had a great chance to add to his 12th goal of the season when found free inside the penalty box by Reo Hatate's through ball, but this time the on-loan Benfica winger headed wastefully over.

With Rangers looking increasingly hesitant, the unmarked Maeda also missed a golden opportunity as he headed clear from five yards from a Jota chip.

A Sakala header struck Matt O'Riley's back in front of goal and Connor Goldson shot wastefully over as Rangers started the second half as they had the first, while Maeda again scooped over at the other end.

Just when Rangers' heavy European schedule looked to be catching up with them, Kent set up Sakala for a low drive inside goalkeeper Joe Hart's near post.

Almost immediately, a Sakala drive stung Hart's fingertips and the Zambia striker should have done better than head over from 12 yards.

A late Hart double save from Scott Arfield and Ryan Kent, then a Sakala shot against the inside of a post, denied Rangers the victory they needed to really revive the title race.

More to follow.

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Celtic

Squad number15Player nameHart

Squad number56Player nameRalston

Squad number20Player nameCarter-Vickers

Squad number4Player nameStarfelt

Squad number3Player nameTaylor

Squad number33Player nameO'Riley

Squad number42Player nameMcGregor

Squad number41Player nameHatate

Squad number17Player nameJota

Squad number8Player nameFuruhashi

Squad number38Player nameMaeda

Squad number6Player nameBitton

Squad number7Player nameGiakoumakis

Squad number11Player nameAbada

Squad number18Player nameRogic

Rangers

Squad number1Player nameMcGregor

Squad number2Player nameTavernier

Squad number6Player nameGoldson

Squad number3Player nameBassey

Squad number31Player nameBarisic

Squad number4Player nameLundstram

Squad number10Player nameDavis

Squad number30Player nameSakala

Squad number37Player nameArfield

Squad number14Player nameKent

Squad number17Player nameAyodele-Aribo

Squad number8Player nameJack

Squad number9Player nameDiallo

Squad number23Player nameWright

Line-ups

Celtic

Formation 4-3-3

15Hart

56Ralston20Carter-Vickers4Starfelt3Taylor

33O'Riley42McGregor41Hatate

17Neves Filipe8Furuhashi38Maeda

15Hart56RalstonBooked at 50mins20Carter-Vickers4Starfelt3Taylor33O'RileySubstituted forBittonat 61'minutesBooked at 72mins42McGregor41HatateSubstituted forRogicat 61'minutes17Neves Filipe8FuruhashiSubstituted forGiakoumakisat 61'minutesBooked at 77mins38MaedaSubstituted forAbadaat 78'minutes

Substitutes

6Bitton7Giakoumakis11Abada14Turnbull16McCarthy18Rogic29Bain49Forrest57Welsh

Rangers

Formation 4-2-3-1

1McGregor

2Tavernier6Goldson3Bassey31Barisic

4Lundstram10Davis

30Sakala37Arfield14Kent

17Ayodele-Aribo

1McGregor2Tavernier6GoldsonBooked at 90mins3Bassey31BarisicBooked at 64mins4Lundstram10DavisSubstituted forJackat 63'minutes30Sakala37ArfieldSubstituted forDialloat 87'minutesBooked at 87mins14KentBooked at 77mins17Ayodele-AriboSubstituted forWrightat 63'minutes