Celtic topples Rangers to take SPFL race to the wire
Celtic forward Daizen Maeda struck twice in five second-half minutes, including a superb bicycle kick, as his side beat Rangers 3-1 at home in the Old Firm derby to set up a dramatic final week in the Scottish Premiership.
The win leaves Celtic on 76 points, one point behind league leader Heart of Midlothian. Hearts play Falkirk on Thursday when Celtic visits Motherwell, with the top two sides set to face off in a potential title decider at Celtic Park on the final day of the season next Sunday.
After Hearts were held by Motherwell a day earlier, Celtic came into Sunday's game knowing it could make up some ground on the leader, but it got off to the worst possible start by going behind to a Mikey Moore goal in the ninth minute.
Despite its recent poor home record against its rival, Celtic kept its cool and equalised in the 23rd minute when Yang Hyun-Jun swept a pass from Arne Engels into the net to send his side level at the break.
After a quiet first half, Maeda stamped his mark on the second in a blistering short spell, bundling home Kieran Tierney's pass to put his side 2-1 up in the 53rd minute before teeing himself up to score with an acrobatic effort a few minutes later.
With the title hopes of third-placed Rangers, on 69 points, fading fast, the visitor poured forward in the closing stages but Celtic held firm, and the final whistle was greeted with a joyous roar from the home crowd as the title race looks set to go down to the wire.
