Rangers 0-1 Celtic: Kyogo earns Brendan Rodgers statement Old Firm win in controversial derby

Kyogo Furuhashi's sixth Old Firm derby goal concluded a frenetic first half at Ibrox

Brendan Rodgers answered early questions surrounding his second Celtic tenure by delivering a statement Old Firm Scottish Premiership win over Rangers in a controversial derby.

Kyogo Furuhashi provided the decisive moment again, capitalising on more slack defending by the home defence just before the break at Ibrox to ruthlessly lash in his sixth goal in five starts in the fixture.

But the Japan forward's strike came after Rabbi Matondo had an offside effort disallowed inside the first minute, before Kemar Roofe had another chopped off for Cyriel Dessers' contentious foul on Gustaf Lagerbielke.

The Celtic centre-back appeared to kick through the back of the Rangers striker while being dispossessed, but referee Don Robertson opted to rule the goal out after an on-field VAR review.

Michael Beale stressed the importance to "lay down a marker" pre-match following Wednesday's Champions League humiliation in Eindhoven, but instead more pressure will now build on the Ibrox boss, who has just one win from six derbies.

Celtic, whose depleted defence consisted of centre-back pairing of Lagerbielke and Liam Scales making their Old Firm debuts, just about held firm after the interval with the help of Joe Hart to move Rodgers' men top by two points and four clear of their rivals.

Old Firm management is a pressure cooker at the best of times, but prior to Sunday it was difficult to think of a derby in which both managers went into the fixture feeling a similar amount of heat.

Rodgers, still trying to win over a chunk of the Celtic fanbase, came into the game off the back of a Viaplay Cup exit at Kilmarnock a fortnight ago and a goalless draw at home to St Johnstone last week.

Beale, who also suffered defeat at Rugby Park in the first league game of the season, was fresh off a chastening 5-1 second-leg defeat to PSV in a failed Champions League qualifying campaign.

So it was little wonder that in a cauldron of noise at Ibrox, which was completely packed with home fans, both sets of players took turns in handling the pressure better.

Sandwiched between Rangers' ruled out strikes, Kyogo failed to connect from close range and saw a finish cleared off the line by Connor Goldson, before firing over when he should have teed up Liel Abada, who had just forced Jack Butland into a superb fingertip stop.

The remainder of the game was about Celtic's defensive resistance and Rangers' lack of clinical edge, which was laid bare by Sam Lammers' glaring miss when he rounded Hart, who then made two key stops to deny Danilo in the dying stages.

Player of the match - Liam Scales

After a shaky opening period, the Celtic centre-back - making his Old Firm debut - delivered a colossal second-half display at the heart of a makeshift defence

More to follow.

Line-ups

Rangers

Formation 4-3-3

1Butland

2Tavernier6Goldson5Souttar21Sterling

43Raskin8Jack13Cantwell

25Roofe9Dessers17Matondo

1Butland2Tavernier6Goldson5Souttar21SterlingSubstituted forYilmazat 65'minutes43Raskin8JackSubstituted forLawrenceat 76'minutes13CantwellBooked at 73mins25RoofeSubstituted forPereira da Silvaat 64'minutes9DessersSubstituted forSimaat 76'minutes17MatondoSubstituted forLammersat 64'minutes

Substitutes

3Yilmaz4Lundstram11Lawrence14Lammers15Cifuentes19Sima26Davies28McCrorie99Pereira da Silva

Celtic

Formation 4-3-3

1Hart

2Johnston4Lagerbielke5Scales3Taylor

33O'Riley42McGregor14Turnbull

11Abada8Furuhashi38Maeda

1Hart2JohnstonSubstituted forRalstonat 65'minutes4Lagerbielke5ScalesBooked at 78mins3TaylorSubstituted forBernabéiat 74'minutes33O'Riley42McGregor14TurnbullSubstituted forHolmat 66'minutes11AbadaSubstituted forYangat 66'minutes8FuruhashiSubstituted forOhat 76'minutes38Maeda

Substitutes

7Palma13Yang15Holm18Kobayashi19Oh22Kwon25Bernabéi29Bain56Ralston

Live Text

Match ends, Rangers 0, Celtic 1.

Second Half ends, Rangers 0, Celtic 1.

Foul by Matt O'Riley (Celtic).

Tom Lawrence (Rangers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Anthony Ralston (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Foul by Tom Lawrence (Rangers).

Attempt missed. Todd Cantwell (Rangers) header from the centre of the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Abdallah Sima with a cross.

Attempt blocked. Sam Lammers (Rangers) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Todd Cantwell.

Daizen Maeda (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Foul by Connor Goldson (Rangers).

Foul by Oh Hyeon-Gyu (Celtic).

Connor Goldson (Rangers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Attempt saved. Todd Cantwell (Rangers) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the top right corner. Assisted by Ridvan Yilmaz.

Callum McGregor (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Foul by Tom Lawrence (Rangers).

Attempt missed. Sam Lammers (Rangers) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Ridvan Yilmaz with a cross.

Attempt saved. Daizen Maeda (Celtic) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.

Oh Hyeon-Gyu (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Foul by Tom Lawrence (Rangers).

Attempt saved. Danilo (Rangers) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Abdallah Sima with a cross.

Player of the match

FuruhashiKyogo Furuhashi