Celtic are within touching distance of Hearts at the top of the Scottish Premiership after a 3-1 win over Rangers at Celtic Park on Sunday, a result that breathed fresh life into a title race that now goes to the final two weekends of the season, Footynaija.com reports.
Super Eagles striker Kelechi Iheanacho came off the bench in the 81st minute, replacing Yang Hyun-Jun, with the game already won and Celtic looking to manage the closing stages. His contribution was limited as he came too late to add to his recent run of crucial goals, but the result itself was exactly what his side needed.
Celtic had gone behind early. Mikey Moore latched onto a deflected Chermiti effort in the ninth minute to give Rangers a shock lead at Celtic Park, a start that silenced the home crowd and raised immediate questions about whether the Hoops had the stomach for what the occasion demanded.
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They did. Yang levelled in the 23rd minute, finishing well after a clever move involving Engels and McGowan, and Celtic grew from there.
Maeda delivers the moment
The game turned decisively in the second half, and specifically through Daizen Maeda. The Japanese forward had missed several chances across the afternoon before finding his range twice after the break.
His first, in the 53rd minute, was a composed close-range finish set up by Kieran Tierney’s precise pass down the left. His second, four minutes later, was something else entirely. A deflected cross fell to him with his back to goal, and he somehow steered a stunning overhead kick into the far corner.
It was the kind of goal that defines seasons. Rangers offered little in response. They failed to register a single shot in the second half until Miovski struck the crossbar deep into stoppage time, a moment that summed up their afternoon.
Celtic defended with composure throughout. Hearts, who drew 1-1 at Motherwell on Saturday, remain a point ahead of Celtic with two games to play. Celtic travel away next weekend before hosting Hearts on the final day of the season, a fixture that could decide everything.
For Iheanacho and his teammates, Sunday was one step closer.
