Reo Hatate nets late leveller as Celtic fight back for draw at Rangers

By Ronnie Esplin, Press Association

A dramatic last-gasp leveller by Reo Hatate earned Celtic a stunning 2-2 comeback draw against Rangers at Ibrox, but William Hill Premiership leaders Hearts emerged the winners on the day.

Hoops boss Martin O’Neill had little initially to celebrate on his 74th birthday as Gers striker Youssef Chermiti opened the scoring in the eighth minute with a stunning overhead kick, then flicked in a second in the 26th minute.

The visitors stormed back after the break, and left-back Kieran Tierney reduced the deficit in the 56th minute.

Rangers were hanging on desperately until VAR intervened – with a couple of minutes remaining – and a penalty was awarded to the Hoops for a Dujon Sterling handball.

Jack Butland saved Hatate’s spot-kick and his effort from the rebound, but the Hoops substitute scored at the third attempt.

With nine fixtures remaining, Danny Rohl’s side are six points behind leaders Hearts and two ahead of Celtic who have a game in hand over the top two.

Rohl went with the same team that started the recent win over Hearts, with Chermiti and Ryan Naderi leading the line, and right-back Dujon Sterling in for captain James Tavernier.

Celtic exited the Europa League play-offs on Thursday night, losing 4-2 on aggregate after a 1-0 win over Stuttgart.

Finland goalkeeper Viljami Sinisalo kept his place in goal amid five changes, with no sign of number one Kasper Schmeichel, who was ill.

With Auston Trusty suspended, Dane Murray partnered the returning Liam Scales in the Hoops defence, which Chermiti outrageously breached.

The Portuguese forward leapt high into the air 10 yards from goal to execute a perfect overhead kick from Andreas Skov Olsen’s cross from the right, giving Sinisalo no chance.

The home side, with talented teenage attacker Mikey Moore in the mood, remained on top but the early frenetic tempo subsided slowly, Celtic edging forward occasionally.

However, a horror mistake by Murray – when he sliced an attempted clearance backwards – allowed the ball through in the box although right-back Julian Araujo seemed to have it under control, but Chermiti nicked it off him and then slotted past Sinisalo.

The disjointed Parkhead side were in disarray as Rangers went for a third, defender Emmanuel Fernandez heading a free-kick just past the post.

Celtic replaced Junior Adamu and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain with Hatate and Sebastian Tounekti for the start of the second half, in an attempt to claw their way back into the game, and they did exactly that and more.

Rangers goalkeeper Jack Butland saved a long-distance effort from Hatate for a corner, which was initially defended but the visitors kept up the pressure until Tierney headed in a cross from Benjamin Nygren.

Hoops attacker Daizen Maeda and Hatate had efforts on goal, and a flowing move ended with Butland pulling off a great save from substitute Luke McCowan, before Murray headed over the crossbar.

However, the title race swung again when there was a VAR check for a Celtic penalty in the 87th minute for a handball against Sterling inside the box.

Referee John Beaton went to his pitch-side monitor and pointed to the spot, and despite Butland’s best efforts, Hatate eventually bundled the ball into the net for a deserved share of the spoils, which would have been celebrated at Tynecastle.