Walter Smith got the result he craved in his last Old Firm derby as Rangers
manager today.
Jonas Thern and Jorg Albertz took the Ibrox hosts back to the top of the
Premier Division table ahead of their Glasgow rivals by the narrowest of margins
- one goal.
Celtic still appear to have the easier run-in, and Hearts - four points
further back - cannot be discounted.
But with only four games remaining there is no doubt Rangers are on a roll.
This was their sixth successive victory - and their second over Celtic in a
week - leaving them on course for a record 10th successive title in Smith's
final season in charge.
Former Sweden captain Thern and fellow midfielder Albertz have come into their
own since the departure of Paul Gascoigne to Middlesbrough.
Thern has now scored four goals in his last five games, while German star
Albertz has weighed in with 13 this season.
Smith knew that victory was vital in this game because a win for Celtic would
have stretched their lead at the top to six points at a crucial stage.
But Rangers dug in and for the second time in a week got the better of their
rivals. Celtic went down 2-1 in the Scottish Cup semi-final last Sunday and were
again out of luck today.
But they had enough chances to win this game, and Paul Lambert could have
scored a hat-trick.
Smith left 36-goal striker Marco Negri on the bench, with Ally McCoist paired
up front with Gordon Durie.
Lorenzo Amoruso made his home debut after an impressive display last week when
he came on as a substitute.
Celtic head coach Wim Jansen elected to start with striker Darren Jackson,
leaving Harald Brattbakk on the bench.
However, Jackson came off in the 23rd minute, indicating he was having
breathing problems, and the Norwegian star replaced him.
But as Celtic struggled to reorganise themselves Rangers took the lead. Former
Fiorentina star Amoruso knocked in a free-kick that was only partially cleared
by Marc Rieper.
The ball broke to Thern 25 yards out, and he sent a spectacular volley beyond
goalkeeper Jonathan Gould into the corner.
Rangers stepped up the pace, and Albertz saw a shot parried - and on the
stroke of half-time he floated in a precise free-kick for Richard Gough, whose
header was cleanly taken by Gould.
Lambert twice got into good positions but both times dragged the ball off
target.
Celtic began the second half brightly and Simon Donnelly swung in a corner that
Rieper headed back across the face of goal.
Alan Stubbs met the ball powerfully but keeper Andy Goram somehow got a hand
to it to turn it over the bar.
Lambert carved his way through the Rangers defence beating two defenders to
find himself clear in front of the posts.
However, he somehow managed to knock the ball wide of the target as the
Rangers fans breathed a sigh of relief.
It proved to be a costly miss as four minutes later Albertz went on a mazy
run, gliding past two defenders before thumping an unstoppable left foot shot
beyond Gould from 12 yards.
It was a carbon copy of his effort that nailed Celtic last week and the goal
had the home support on their feet.
Celtic caved in after that goal and McCoist, who needed one goal to beat Jimmy
McGrory's Old Firm record of 27, squandered a hat-trick of chances to become a
legend in the blue corner of Glasgow.
He headed over following a cross from Albertz and then, with five minutes to
go, knocked the ball wide after the German midfielder had carved out another
good opening.
McCoist was again set up by Albertz but held his head in his hands after again
failing to find the target.
Celtic defender Enrico Annoni cleared off the line from substitute Rino
Gattuso in the final minute as Rangers went for a third goal.
But no matter because this emphatic victory opens up the title race and the
crucial match could take place on Saturday week when the Ibrox side face Hearts
at Tynecastle.
Teams
Rangers: Goram, Cleland, Albertz, Gough, Amoruso, Bjorklund,
Thern, McCoist, Durie (Gattuso 71), McCall, Laudrup.
Subs Not Used: Durrant, Negri.
Booked: Amoruso, Durie, Bjorklund, Cleland.
Goals: Thern 24, Albertz 66.
Celtic: Gould, Boyd, Annoni, Donnelly, Rieper, Stubbs, Larsson,
Burley, Jackson (Brattbakk 23), Lambert, O'Donnell.
Subs Not Used: Hannah, McKinlay.
Booked: Annoni, Larsson.
Att: 50,042
Ref: H Dallas (Motherwell).
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