Celtic 3–1 Rangers | Scottish Premiership | 10 May 2026

Result Summary

Celtic claimed a commanding Old Firm victory at home, defeating Rangers 3–1 in a match that swung decisively in the hosts' favour after the break. Daizen Maeda's brace either side of the hour mark proved the difference, with Hyun-Jun Yang's equaliser first steadying Celtic after an early Rangers shock. Despite the margin of victory, the contest was far more competitive than the scoreline suggests.

Match Analysis

Rangers made the perfect start when Mikey Moore struck in the 9th minute with a right-foot shot to put the visitors ahead, silencing the home support early. The opening quarter belonged to Rangers, who showed energy and directness, and Youssef Ramalho Chermiti picked up a yellow card in the 19th minute for a foul as his side pushed to extend their lead.

Celtic, however, responded with growing composure. Hyun-Jun Yang levelled in the 23rd minute, finishing with his right foot from an Arne Engels assist, and from that point the momentum shifted firmly toward the hosts. Alistair Johnston was booked for a foul in the 39th minute, a sign of the physical contest developing across the park.

The second half was where Celtic took control. Daizen Maeda netted twice in the space of four minutes — first in the 53rd minute with a left-foot finish assisted by Kieran Tierney, then again in the 57th minute with his right foot to make it 3–1. Those two goals effectively ended the contest as a competitive fixture.

The statistics reflect a closely fought match in terms of raw numbers — possession was nearly even at 51% to 49% in Celtic's favour, and both sides registered 9 shots in total. Rangers actually edged dangerous attacks 50 to 47, but Celtic converted their opportunities with greater clinical efficiency. Rangers won the corner count convincingly at 7 to 1, suggesting they did create wide opportunities without being able to turn them into goals.

The closing stages saw a flurry of bookings — six yellow cards were distributed between the 67th and 89th minute, including a double booking at the 78th minute involving Tuur Rommens and Kieran Tierney following an argument. Maeda, who had inspired Celtic's turnaround, also received a yellow for dissent in the 82nd minute. Despite Rangers' triple substitution at the 59th minute — bringing on Thelo Aasgaard, Djeidi Gassama, and Dujon Sterling — Danny Röhl's side could not find a route back into the match.

Celtic's 25 fouls compared to Rangers' 13 highlights the pressure the hosts faced in trying to protect their lead in the final stages, committing frequently to stop Rangers' counter-attacking threat.

Prediction Review

Our pre-match forecast of a 2–1 Celtic win proved directionally correct — the model backed Celtic with a 52% probability and the final scoreline validated that assessment. The actual 3–1 margin exceeded our expected goals projection, largely due to Maeda's clinical double. Confidence was rated 55/100, reflecting the inherent unpredictability of an Old Firm derby, and that caution was warranted given Rangers' bright opening spell. Overall, a correct outcome prediction, though the winning margin was underestimated.

Key Takeaways

• Daizen Maeda was the decisive figure, turning the match with two goals in four second-half minutes
• Celtic's clinical finishing outweighed Rangers' slightly higher dangerous attack count
• Martin O'Neill's side demonstrated resilience in responding quickly to going a goal down
• Rangers' triple substitution at 59' failed to alter the match dynamic
• The disciplinary picture deteriorated late, with Celtic particularly accumulating bookings as tensions rose