Quick Review
Celtic started positively and earned a succession of corners, that were dealt with by an uneasy looking Rangers defence. Stefan Klos pulled off a tremendous reaction save after quarter-of-an-hour when Bobo Balde powered a header in from eight yards, only for the keeper to push the ball away.
John Hartson fired just over from 20 yards but Celtic's pressure paid off after 19 minutes. Henrik Larsson picked out the unmarked Petrov at the back post and though Klos got a hand to the Bulgarian's diving header, the ball came off both posts before trickling over the line.
Celtic put together an impressive move a couple of minutes before half time, which saw Didier Agathe skip past a couple of challenges on the right, but Alan Thompson's glancing header from the Frenchman's cross fell just wide.
Larsson almost doubled Celtic's lead after 58 minutes when he got his toe to a free kick to divert it towards goal, only for the post to deny him. Moore knocked the rebound behind and from the resultant corner, Celtic did add a second. Balde headed the ball back across goal and Varga powered it past the helpless Klos as the Rangers defence stood and watched.
Klos could do nothing in the 84th minute when Thompson curled an exquisite free kick over the wall and in off the bar to complete Rangers' misery.
Moments later Arveladze smashed the ball against the bar, denying Rangers even a consolation goal.
Trivia
A record 18th successive league win.
Teams
Celtic:-Douglas,
Agathe,
Balde,
Varga,
McNamara,
Petrov,
Lennon,
Sutton,
Thompson,
Larsson,
Hartson (
Miller 82).
Subs Not Used:- Hedman,
Maloney,
Wallace,
Crainey.
Goals:- Petrov 19, Varga 57, Thompson 85
Rangers:-Klos, Ricksen, Moore, Berg, Ball, Burke, Arteta, Rae (Mols 35), Malcolm (Capucho 74), Lovenkrands, Arveladze.
Subs Not Used:- McGregor, Vanoli, Ross.
Booked:- Ball, Arteta, Moore, Lovenkrands.
Att:- 59,087
Ref:- S Dougal.
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