Clement labels Rangers moral winners over Celtic
Philippe Clement claimed his Rangers were the “moral winners” of the Old Firm derby after coming from 2-0 down at half-time to draw 3-3 with Celtic in a roller coaster clash at Ibrox.
The hosts were 2-0 down at half-time after Daizen Maeda scored inside 21 seconds and Matt O'Riley added a second from the spot.
A typically powerful penalty from James Tavernier sparked a comeback and Abdallah Sima equalised four minutes from time, but Rangers again conceded moments later as Celtic looked to win it 3-2. But Rabbi Matondo found an outstanding finish to equalise again in the third minute of stoppage-time to earn Clement's side a point.
Rangers, with seven fixtures remaining, remain a point behind league leader Celtic with a game in hand against Dundee, which will be played on Thursday (AEST) and a trip to Parkhead after the split.
Clement, who took over at Rangers last October, said: “It is the worst start you can have in an Old Firm game, to go behind after [less than] one minute.
“Also in the way we went behind. That is a big blow in that moment for the team, for the fans.
“Afterwards, we didn’t go down but we were not good enough on the ball.
“Then second half we showed our real face. We showed the real things that I want to see, this never-stopping team that has a lot of resilience, a lot of hunger, desire, to change the result.
“To do the right thing, to create chances not give away chances. Then became, for you guys, a crazy scenario, for the scenario that I wanted.
“Not with the 2-2 and then the 3-2 of course, but we clearly deserved at least a point today with what we have shown.
“I think at the end we are moral winners of this afternoon because a few months ago, for sure, this team could not have reacted after 2-0 in an Old Firm.
“I don’t know if many teams in the past could have done it. It is a hard thing in a very important game to go 2-0 behind to also feel the disappointment of your fans when you go into the dressing room to turn that around. Because of that I am really proud of my boys.
“For me, it is important, we showed what we are about in the second half, so that’s why we are the moral winners in that way, to come back after 0-2, I don’t think it happened too much in Old Firm games.
“Now it is putting focus on Dundee, a big game, and all the focus is on that and not on the ranking or the points, so you will not catch me saying or thinking these things in the next couple of weeks, that is something for maybe the last two or the last game, that depends how many points other teams take.
“This will give a lot of confidence, belief, but it is also important to stay humble and be ready for the Dundee game and do that from the first second of the game and not give belief to the opponents, like we did today.”
Clement was pleased with the way skipper James Tavernier reacted to his lapse in concentration which allowed Daizen Maeda to score the opener after just 21 seconds.
He said: “It’s difficult to pick only Tav out because I would prefer that he didn’t make those mistakes in the first minute.
“But he showed the personality to take the penalty and to take the penalty in that way, with really big conviction, desire to score the goal and to put the perfect penalty away.
“It’s not easy and a lot of players break after making a fault like that at the beginning of the game. They go down the way.
“But he has the capacity to switch on again and to be even more hungry.”
