Rangers and Celtic play out goalless draw in dull Old Firm derby

Rangers and Celtic have drawn 0-0 in the first Old Firm derby of the season, with neither side managing to deliver a moment of quality to decide the game at Ibrox.

Both sides had gone into the fixture at the end of a grim week that had ended their interest in the Champions League. Celtic’s penalty shoot-out defeat to Kazakh champions Kairat Almaty had been followed by a 6-0 thumping for Rangers at the hands of Club Brugge.

The exit from Europe’s elite competition meant a lift was needed and there was some excitement for supporters in seeing a new face in each of the starting line-ups.

Bojan Miovski had completed his move from Girona on Saturday and went straight into Russell Martin’s Rangers side, while Brendan Rodgers handed a start to Michel-Ange Balikwisha following his signing from Royal Antwerp.

Miovski’s inclusion was one of five changes Martin had made in the wake of the humiliating defeat against Brugges.

Captain James Tavernier replaced Max Aarons, with Connor Barron, Mohamed Diomande and Mikey Moore coming in for Lyall Cameron, Joe Rothwell and Oliver Antman. In addition to Balikwisha’s inclusion, Arne Engels stepped into the Celtic side as James Forrest and Yang dropped to the bench.

There was no place in the Rangers squad for Belgium international Nico Raskin, days after Martin denied any breakdown in his relationship with the midfielder. Adam Idah was left out of the Celtic squad as he closes in on a move to Swansea City.

Miovski was involved in the early action, earning an approving roar from the home support for a foul that put Anthony Ralston on the turf, then claiming a penalty when he went down in the box under close attention from Liam Scaled. Referee Don Robertson waved play on, with VAR and television replays vindicating the match official.

Balikwisha also looked bright in the early exchanges but both sides were struggling to keep hold of the ball with misplaced passes frequent.

Half an hour passed without either team managing a shot on target but soon after, Rangers thought they had broken the deadlock. Tavernier swung in a perfect ball to John Souttar to head past Schmeichel. The wild celebrations were quickly cut short when a VAR review began and the defender was shown to have strayed offside before scoring.

Half time arrived with no further drama or real goal threat and while both managers would have had plenty to say to their players, neither made a change at the break.

The second half followed the pattern of the first, with little in the way of creativity and Celtic in particular looking short of ideas.

Djeidi Gassama tried to bring a spark for Rangers, going past Kieran Tierney and getting a shot in that Liam Scales did well to block from going in the net.

Reo Hatate tried his luck for Celtic but a tame effort was easily stopped by Jack Butland. An hour had passed and it was Celtic’s first shot on target.

Celtic had another attempt when Tierney tried an overhead kick that fell straight into Butland’s hand.

Rodgers freshened up his side with Forrest and Shin Yamada replacing Balikwisha and Arne Engels, and soon after bringing Marcelo Saracchi on to make his debut with Tierney going off.

Rangers first change brough Cyriel Dessers and Oliver Antman on for Miovski and Moore. Nedim Bajrami then came on for Thelo Aasgard.

Barron, who had been solid for Rangers in midfield, suffered a hamstring injury, forcing him off in place of Joe Rothwell and Finlay Curtis, scorer against St Mirren last week, replaced Gassama.

The fresh faces did little to change the quality or the excitement level.

A share of the points looked increasingly likely as the match entered the final few minutes, though Rangers were on the front foot and had a couple of set pieces that Tavernier delivered and Celtic cleared.

Nasser Djiga was booked for a foul on Yamada before Luke McCowan replaced Reo Hatate as Celtic looked to nick a winning goal.

The addition of three minutes at the end of the 90 couldn’t prevent a first goalless draw in an Old Firm derby since 2017, a result that lifts neither side after a difficult week, and a fourth consecutive draw for Rangers from four league games this season..