Intense Rangers earn Beale first Old Firm win - Legit Reporters
Intense Rangers earn Beale first Old Firm win - Legit Reporters
Michael Beale earned his first Old Firm victory at the fifth attempt as an intense and energetic Rangers overwhelmed Celtic to inflict just a second league defeat of the season on the Scottish Premiership champions.
Ange Postecoglou's back-to-back title winners bounced to Govan after sealing a successive crown at Tynecastle last weekend.
But they were met by a charged home side who ended Celtic's remarkable unbeaten streak of 34 domestic games and ensured they can no longer break the club's points record of 106.
The victory ends a six-game winless run in the fixture for Rangers, who opened the scoring after just five minutes when Todd Cantwell drilled in on the rebound.
Celtic almost responded instantly as Oh Hyeon-gyu dinked an attempt off Robby McCrorie's woodwork, but the visitors were well below-par and found themselves two down at the break when John Souttar headed in his first Rangers goal.
Beale's men maintained their level after the interval and scored a deserved third when Fashion Sakala capitalised on poor defending to round Joe Hart and ensure the insurmountable gap between the clubs is narrowed to 10 points.
"It's just three points, but it's optimism for the fans going into the summer," Beale told BBC Sportsound. "I'm delighted with our players. Over the season they've had hard days, so have the fans as well."
"We were more decisive in the boxes. The energy of the team is what I've been looking for as well. I haven't seen it enough."
The win is ultimately too little, too late for Beale this term, but it was imperative the Rangers manager and many of his players started next season knowing they are capable of getting the better of Postecoglou's Celtic.
After three straight derby defeats, including February's Viaplay Cup final and last month's Scottish Cup semi-final, the hosts started like a team with a point to prove.
And they made the perfect start when John Lundstram's strike from the edge of the box was palmed by Hart, with Cantwell - who was inspirational throughout - following up by lashing in first time.
Barring a brief spell in the first half during which Oh clipped the left-hand post and Abada had a close-range shot blocked, Rangers kept up their impressive energy levels throughout and had two-goal cushion when Souttar thundered in.
Cantwell was a constant threat to a Celtic defence that looked disjointed without Cameron Carter-Vickers, as the January signing from Norwich forced Hart into two fine stops at his front post after the interval.
But the former England keeper wasn't helped by a shaky backline, who were at fault again for the Rangers third.
Carl Starfelt essentially played through Sakala to skip by Hart and roll into an empty net - a goal which told the story of a day to forget for the newly-crowned champions.
There is no downplaying the size of the rebuild Beale will have to oversee this summer. Saturday's result doesn't dilute that.
But the Ibrox manager will now know a lot more about his fringe players after again handing starts to McCrorie, Rabbi Matondo and Ridvan Yilmaz, while Souttar impressed after being brought in for the injured Ben Davies.
McCrorie, now 25, did his chances of becoming Rangers' long-term number one no harm. When called upon, the keeper made a fine stop to deny Matt O'Riley and showed authority by collecting high balls and coming off his line sharply.
Meanwhile, Matondo demonstrated good drive, pace and tireless running at the top end of the pitch, as did Yilmaz at left-back, but decision-making and quality on the ball left question marks at times.
If Beale learned a lot about his fringe players in victory, Postecoglou did too in defeat. There is a significant drop off in the Australian's defence without centre-back Carter-Vickers, plus full-backs Alistair Johnston and Greg Taylor.
The Celtic attack is also nowhere near as fluid without top scorer Kyogo Furuhashi, who started on the bench, while Daizen Maeda's relentless pressing was also lacking from the frontline.
But despite a rare off-day, the fact Postecoglou's side have now lost just twice in their last 67 league games only emphasises the remarkable consistency of the back-to-back Premiership winners.
