Rangers Indecisiveness and clumsiness hand Celtic chance to reclaim top spot

Rangers Indecisiveness and clumsiness hand Celtic chance to reclaim top spot

Motherwell won their first league game at Ibrox since 1997, leaving the title race wide open.

Rangers, as expected, controlled the game, but Well were also brilliant and well deserving of the win. They defended resolutely and had a lot to say going forward, with man-of-the-moment Theo Bair as the major actor. Ibrox was surprised after just nine minutes as Jack Vale capitalised on a mistake by John Souttar to set up Bair in the box; while the striker didn’t catch it perfectly, his shot ended up straight in the corner, leaving Jack Butland with little chance.

The Light Blues improved, but they were still limited to long-range attempts, and Liam Kelly was more than equal to them all, with Mohamed Diomande’s effort the pick of the bunch. The Steelmen remained a danger, and Blair Spittal came close to scoring twice when he hit the crossbar.

Cyriel Dessers was then called offside for bundling John Souttar’s headed attempt over the line, but they didn’t have long to wait for the equaliser. It occurred after Dan Casey and Stephen O’Donnell sandwiched substitute Fabio Silva in the box, and after a lengthy VAR review, it was determined that the full-back tripped him. James Tavernier rifled a penalty into the top corner.

Just as it appeared that the home team was moving up and on track to win, the opposing team scored. Spittal was involved again, this time with a looping cross to the back post for defender Casey to stoop and head home.

As Rangers surged, Liam Kelly made a remarkable double stop from John Lundstram and Ridvan Yilmaz to save the advantage, while Connor Goldson blasted a free header wide.

Celtic now have the chance to reclaim the top spot if they beat Hearts tomorrow, but Motherwell’s chances of making the top six have been significantly boosted.

Theo Bair

Not only to achieve his goal. The big striker finished perfectly into the corner, and his whole performance was excellent. He used his power to hold it up well, but what followed was typically wise, such as delegating to teammates, which relieved some of the load. The on-form forward scored his ninth goal in 12 games.

Ridvan Yilmaz

Not nearly as impressive as his Hearts performance, the Turkish left-back was significantly engaged in the majority of their attacks. He was a confident individual who wasn’t hesitant to take a shot on goal.

Jack Vale

Operating behind Bair, the Blackburn loanee took advantage of numerous good situations to get on the ball and keep Well on the attack for much of the first half.

Blair Spittal

Another man who contributed significantly to Motherwell’s success in the first half. He had many shots on goal and was unlucky not to score twice when he hit the crossbar early in the second period.

Dan Casey

 

The centre defender made a significant contribution at both ends. Bravery and strong positioning allowed him to make some key defensive interventions to keep his team in the game, and he then pounced to cushion a header past Jack Butland, giving them the lead for the second time.

Fabio Silva

Made a difference as an early substitute for Ross McCausland, providing a spark. In the interval preceding the Casey hammer blow, it appeared that he was going to do something.

Liam Kelly

The Scotland goalkeeper has had his quality questioned this season, but under Steve Clarke’s supervision, he made a succession of key stops, particularly near the conclusion of the game.

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