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Celtic 3-0 Rangers: Hoops cruise to victory over bitter rivals

Celtic condemned bitter rivals Rangers to a fifth straight defeat on their home ground thanks to two sensational strikes worthy of winning a match of this magnitude.

Brendan Rodgers's heavily-backed men went into the flagship Scottish Premiership fixture having only lost one of the previous 12 Old Firms.

And almost everything about this afternoon's fixture seemed familiar, from the emphatic scoreline to the flurry of bookings to the Poznan dance which was brough out by a raucous home support towards the end. 

Indeed, it was two of the stars of that impressive run of Celtic dominance that did the job once again, this time in devastating fashion as they cruised to a 3-0 win.

After a clinical Daizen Maeda opener, thunderous efforts from Kyogo Furuhashi and Callum McGregor saw off a wasteful Rangers side and saw them leap into the top spot in the league - a position they will hope to hang onto for the duration of the campaign.

Celtic condemned bitter rivals Rangers to a fifth straight defeat on their home ground thanks to a screamer from Callum McGregor

Brendan Rodgers's heavily-backed men went into the flagship Scottish Premiership fixture having only lost one of the previous 12 Old Firms

The away side actually had the brighter of the first ten minutes in a typically fierce encounter at Celtic Park as each set of fans attempted to out sing the other.

The first chance fell to Rangers' Cyriel Dessers who lacked the clinical touch to finish past the imposing Kasper Schmeichel but his blushes were spared as he saw the offside flag raised.

Shortly after, Rabbi Matondo was gifted an even better chance thanks to a menacing James Tavernier cross but somehow found a way to turn it wide.

It did not take long for Rangers to regret their missed opportunities as Celtic nabbed a goal against the run of play - or so they thought. Furuhashi finish from a Nicolas Kuhn ball ruled out for offside.

But in the 17th minute the home side had the ball in the net once again and this time it stood. Alistair Johnston getting to the bye-line and cutting it back for Maeda who made no mistake.

The contest then bubbled over in the aftermath of the opener as Johnston, Mohamed Diomande and Jefté all receiving a yellow card.

And they were joined in the book by Rangers coach Alex Rae who was no stranger to a caution during his playing days.

At this point, the away team were on the ropes as centre-back John Souttar dawdled in the box and was almost made to pay by the onrushing Celtic men who spurned a good chance.

The reigning champions then almost recreated their opening goal but this time a completely free Maeda hit it straight at Tavernier.

Then, a stunner from Kyogo. The Japanese international picking up the ball in a seemingly innocuous position in the middle of the park before raising the roof off Celtic Park with a long-range effort low to the keeper's left.

It definitely seemed that Jack Butland, once of England, could have done a better job of positioning himself in the centre of the goal but either way the shot was struck with real power.

Somehow Philippe Clement's men did not concede another before half-time, weathering a relentless Celtic onslaught to gladly take a 2-0 deficit at the break.

The home team saw off a wasteful Rangers side and leapt into the top spot in the league

Almost everything about this afternoon's fixture seemed familiar, from the emphatic scoreline to the flurry of bookings to the Poznan dance

Again Rangers looked to burst out of the blocks at the start of the second period but their finishing paled in comparison with that of their bitter rivals, Dessers taking a couple of feeble attempts to prove the point.

After another flurry of mandatory Old Firm yellow cards, heading in the direction of Dessers, Tom Lawrence and Nicolas Kuhn, the away side were left with the familiar agony of ruing their missed chances. 

Veteran midfielder Callum McGregor had scored two screamers in as many matches ahead of this clash and he sealed a Celtic win with the sweetest of the lot.

The Hoops have not conceded in four matches this season and every time Rangers huffed and puffed they seemed less likely to break the deadlock.

With 60,000 Celtic fans in party mode, the final 20 minutes were a formality with the difference in quality between these two great sides as stark as it has been in recent times.

Source: dailymail.co.uk

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