Rangers go into the new Millennium as the team to beat in Scotland after
maintaining their four-point lead at the top of the Premier League.
However Celtic were left cursing their luck today with Lubomir Moravcik twice
striking the woodwork and Mark Viduka hitting the post.
Australian striker Viduka put them ahead after 18 minutes but Billy Dodds
marked his Old Firm debut by grabbing the equaliser eight minutes later.
After a rousing first half hour, the game tailed off but happily there was no
repeat of the dreadful scenes that marred the last Parkhead encounter between
the clubs in May.
Stilian Petrov returned to the Celtic midfield with Morten Wieghorst suffering
from a muscle strain while Vidar Riseth was preferred to Regi Blinker.
French keeper Lionel Charbonnier retained his place in the Rangers starting
line-up after returning to action after a 12-week absence in the 1-0 victory
against Hearts.
American midfielder Claudio Reyna replaced Andrei Kanchelskis after recovering
from a thigh strain.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst featured prominently for Rangers in the early stages,
floating in a free kick after three minutes that was cleared by Vidar Riseth
with Dodds lurking.
Celtic keeper Jonathan Gould blocked a header from Craig Moore on the line
after van Bronckhorst had delivered a corner from the left.
The home side, however stepped up the pace and began to play some delightful
football in front of a capacity crowd.
They came within inches of taking the lead after 10 minutes when a shot from
Viduka rattled the post after a clever back heel from Paul Lambert had split the
defence.
Rangers retaliated and Dodd released Rod Wallace down the left. He skipped
away from Riseth only to drag his shot across the face of the goal.
Lubomir Moravcik then tried to thread the ball through to Eyal Berkovic but
Charbonnier raced off his line to avert the danger.
Celtic's pressure eventually paid off after 18 minutes when they made the
breakthrough following a lovely move.
Moravcik swept the ball into the path of Berkovic, who in turn fed Viduka. The
Australian striker took an early touch, which deceived Charbonnier and found the
corner.
Rangers skipper Lorenzo Amoruso was booked for dissent in the process by
referee Hugh Dallas after complaining about a challenge on Rod Wallace just
before the goal.
A shot from Oliver Tebily was well parried by Charbonnier as Celtic began to
take control.
Moravcik was desperately unlucky not to put them further ahead after 25
minutes when a first time shot from Jackie McNamara's cross rattled the
underside of the bar.
However Rangers equalised against the run of play after 25 minutes with a
simple goal.
Tony Vidmar playing out of position on the right side of defence released
Dodds in the penalty area.
The former Dundee United striker turned Tebily and fired a shot beyond keeper
Jonathan Gould then celebrated in style.
It was Celtic's turn to be rattled and the became scrappy in the minutes
leading up to half time.
Moravcik became the first Celtic name in the book on the stroke of half time
when he picked up a yellow card for dissent.
Rangers began the second half brightly and almost pulled ahead in the 46th
minute when Vidmar picked out Dodds down the right.
He chipped the ball over Riseth before sending a volley just wide of the post
with Jorg Albertz screaming for the ball.
A minute later Wallace found himself in the clear but his pass to Dodds at the
back post was too strong.
Celtic were being forced on the back foot and van Bronckhorst released Wallace
with a fine through ball. However the former Leeds striker hurried his shot and
it was easily cleared.
Van Bronckhorst was causing problems from dead-ball situations and gave the
home side another scare after 56 minutes.
His corner from the right was perfectly judged and Alan Stubbs did well to
head away at the back post.
Celtic however again rattled the bar in the 67th minute with another
delightful move.
McNamara floated in a marvellous cross from the right and Moravcik saw his
header come back off the bar after taking a deflection off Reyna.
Stubbs came to Celtic's rescue in the 70th minute, making a dramatic goal-line
clearance after Wallace's shot had beaten keeper Gould.
A cross from Regi Blinker caused Rangers problems and Ian Wright then headed
well wide with both sides having to settle for a point.
Teams:
Celtic: Gould, McNamara, Petrov (Blinker 73), Mjallby, Stubbs, Tebily, Riseth, Lambert, Berkovic (Wright 83), Viduka, Moravcik.
Subs Not Used: Kerr, Burchill, Boyd.
Booked: Moravcik, Lambert.
Goals: Viduka 18.
Rangers: Charbonnier, Moore, Amoruso, Numan, Ferguson, Van Bronckhorst, Wallace (Amato 88), Albertz, Reyna, Vidmar,Dodds.
Subs Not Used: Myhre, Kanchelskis, McCann, Nicholson.
Booked: Amoruso, Moore, Numan.
Goals: Dodds 27.
Att: 59,722
Ref: Hugh Dallas (Scotland).
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