GLASGOW, SCOTLAND — Reo Hatate, introduced at half-time, wrote himself into Old Firm folklore by drilling home a stoppage-time equaliser to snatch a breathless 2-2 draw for Celtic at Ibrox Stadium, denying Rangers what would have been a precious three points in a match that swung violently between elation and despair. The Japanese midfielder's intervention in the 91st minute capped one of the most dramatic finales this fixture has produced in recent memory, leaving the home faithful stunned and the travelling support in raptures.
Rangers had looked set to claim all three points after Youssef Chermiti's stunning double had put them firmly in the driving seat. Celtic, despite enjoying 54.8% of the ball and generating 17 shots across the ninety minutes, were forced to dig deep into their reserves of character to avoid defeat. It was a match that had everything the Old Firm rivalry promises — early drama, a second-half shift in momentum, and a gut-punch finish that neither set of supporters will forget quickly.
The opening exchanges were barely eight minutes old when Chermiti announced himself with devastating authority. The Rangers striker latched onto his opportunity and fired past the Celtic goalkeeper to send Ibrox into a frenzy, setting the tone for what would become a relentless afternoon. The Portuguese forward was not done there. In the 26th minute, he struck again, doubling Rangers' advantage and threatening to turn this derby into a rout. Two goals in the opening half-hour from a single striker — it was the kind of performance that Rangers had been craving in this fixture, and the home crowd roared their approval.
Celtic, however, refused to capitulate. Kieran Tierney, the experienced left-back with a deep emotional connection to the club, pulled one back in the 56th minute, converting to give the visitors renewed belief and silencing large swathes of the home support. The goal transformed the match entirely. Where Rangers had looked composed and controlled, they suddenly appeared vulnerable, and Celtic's superior shot volume — 17 attempts to Rangers' 12 — began to tell a more complete story. Callum McGregor, booked in the 39th minute for a first-half transgression, continued to drive Celtic forward despite the caution, while the home side's Nicolas Raskin and John Souttar also collected yellow cards in the second half as tensions boiled over.
Rangers' goalkeeper was nothing short of heroic throughout, making five saves to keep his side ahead as Celtic pressed relentlessly for the equaliser. Despite 12 attempts, Rangers managed just three on target — a wastefulness that would ultimately cost them dearly. Celtic's shot dominance was relentless, and with only one save required at the other end, the statistical picture painted a clear picture of a side that controlled large portions of the contest without being able to convert their superiority into goals.
The turning point arrived not with a substitution or a tactical shift, but with sheer persistence. Hatate, brought on at the interval precisely to inject energy and creativity, proved the difference. As the board showed four additional minutes, Celtic continued to probe, and in the 91st minute, Hatate drilled home to complete the comeback. It was the kind of moment that defines careers and derbies in equal measure.
The scoreboard resets; the table does not. Rangers travel to face St Mirren on March 14 needing to regroup after surrendering a two-goal lead in the most painful of fashions, while Celtic head to Motherwell on the same date carrying the momentum of a side that never stopped believing.