Kyogo Furuhashi settles Old Firm derby as Celtic end Philippe Clement run

Philippe Clement’s first Previous Agency sport led to his first defeat as Rangers boss as targets from Paulo Bernardo and Kyogo Furuhashi gave Celtic a 2-1 win at Parkhead.

The Belgian had gone 16 video games unbeaten since taking on from Michael Beale in October however with no away followers inside the bottom as a consequence of an allocation dispute between the 2 golf equipment it was at all times going to be the acid check for the injury-hit guests.

The Ibrox aspect began the sport positively earlier than Hoops midfielder Bernardo scored after 25 minutes, with the Gers lacking not less than a few good probabilities to stage.

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Celtic’s prolific striker Furuhashi curled in a second from 20 yards lower than two minutes after the restart and there was extra woe for the Mild Blues within the 71st minute when defender Leon Balogun was proven a straight purple card by referee Nick Walsh for denying Daizen Maeda a transparent goalscoring alternative.

Rangers held on and skipper James Tavernier fired in a beautiful free-kick within the 88th minute however the comeback couldn’t be accomplished in eight added minutes.

Brendan Rodgers’ aspect transfer eight factors away from their Glasgow neighbours on the high of the cinch Premiership and regardless of having performed two video games extra, the victory might be the springboard to one more title win.

It was wall-to-wall inexperienced and white contained in the packed out 60,000-capacity stadium for the lunchtime kick-off and as anticipated, Hoops centre-back Stephen Welsh changed the injured Cameron Carter-Vickers with fit-again duo Reo Hatate and Liel Abada again on the bench.

Defender Connor Goldson shrugged off a groin challenge and John Lundstram returned to the midfield for Rangers, who gave nearly as good as they acquired within the early levels.

However within the twelfth minute, as the sport started to ebb and stream, Bernardo headed a Luis Palma cross previous the far submit.

Rangers had been getting behind the Celtic defence however couldn’t capitalise, with Abdallah Sima’s wild drive over from the sting of the field after 20 minutes a main instance.

Bernardo drove simply previous the submit from the same distance however moments later, when Palma’s nook from the appropriate ended up at his toes 16 yards out through the top of Sima, the on-loan Benfica participant volleyed it powerfully previous Gers keeper Jack Butland.

Nonetheless, there was was enormous let-off for the house aspect on the half-hour mark.

A slack move from Parkhead full-back Alastair Johnson noticed Rangers striker Cyriel Dessers dispossess Welsh to undergo in opposition to keeper Joe Hart – however inexplicably he refused to shoot and allowed Johnston to get again with a restoration deal with.

Welsh had injured his shoulder in Dessers’ deal with and was instantly changed by Maik Nawrocki, whose final sport was in August.

Ross McCausland and Todd Cantwell each had efforts for the Govan aspect which ought to have introduced a leveller, after which Clement was proven a yellow card.

There was a doable Rangers penalty for a Johnston handball which got here to nothing after a VAR test, with an earlier offside in opposition to Sima cited.

The Mild Blues would have thought of themselves unlucky to nonetheless be behind on the break however within the forty seventh minute Furuhashi took a move simply exterior the field from Matt O’Riley and bent an unstoppable shot previous the helpless Butland to completely change the complexion of the encounter.

Kieran Dowell changed Cantwell and Scott Wright took over from Sima as Clement tried one thing new whereas David Turnbull got here on for Bernardo simply earlier than Balogun was dismissed for taking Maeda down as he raced clear on aim, with centre-back John Souttar approaching for Lundstram in a reshuffle.

Nonetheless, after a 3rd Celtic aim didn’t arrive, Tavernier arrange a nervy ending when he curled a trademark free-kick from 20 yards previous the flailing Hart at his close to submit.

It was an anxious finish to the sport for the house followers as Rangers went all out for the leveller, however finally to no avail.