SCOTTISH CUP FIFTH ROUND: Rangers 2 Celtic 2:THE BIGGEST compliment you can pay this game is that El Hadji Diouf's name was almost totally absent from post-match discussion.
The controversial Senegalese striker made his first Rangers start against the team whose supporters he infamously spat on during a Uefa Cup tie in 2003 but that was overshadowed by four goals, two red cards and a penalty kick; the replay on March 2nd means there will be seven Old Firm games this season.
“Absolute torture,” said the Celtic manager, Neil Lennon. His face was straight.
Diouf started well, before tiredness set in. The striker played a part in Rangers’ opening goal and featured after Celtic’s second equaliser as Scott Brown goaded Diouf with his celebration. Diouf was hailed by the Rangers support and abused by those wearing green and white in equal measure. To his credit there was no hint of the kind of loss of temper which overshadowed the 30-year-old’s time in English football.
“It’s all of his own making,” Lennon said of Diouf being targeted. “It’s nothing to do with my players if he wants to be a cheerleader for the crowd.”
Ally McCoist, the Rangers assistant manager, said: “I thought he (Diouf) was terrific. There were one or two wee incidents of people trying to wind him up, which is what we expected. He handled that well.”
Rangers had threatened to run over the top of their city rivals within five minutes as the youngster Jamie Ness crashed home a terrific long-range drive and Steven Davis shot against the Celtic crossbar.
Kris Commons secured an equaliser before Celtic lost their goalkeeper Fraser Forster to a red card. For that reason alone, and even allowing for Steven Naismith’s late dismissal for the hosts, Celtic will be the more content with their performance. Another fixture is of little use to Rangers given their tight squad and hectic schedule.
“I thought we were brilliant, absolutely brilliant,” said Lennon. “I take a hell of a lot of pleasure from the way my team played. I’m proud of them.” McCoist was honest enough to admit relief at still being in the Scottish Cup.
After Ness had set the tone with his stunning goal, Commons restored parity with a low finish from Joe Ledley’s cut-back. Forster’s aberration in upending Naismith followed – neither the penalty nor the goalkeeper’s sending off was contested by Lennon – with Steven Whittaker converting to send Rangers in front before the interval.
Rangers were sluggish, and noticeably deep, in protecting that lead. Brown made them pay for that with another sublime goal, curled beyond Allan McGregor with 25 minutes to play.
The remaining, frantic spell produced another red card but not a winner. Naismith, who is prone to such antics, dived over a Charlie Mulgrew challenge in seeking to win a second spot-kick; the Rangers player had already been booked for a tackle on Mark Wilson.
“It looked to me as if he went down very easily,” McCoist said of Naismith. “I thought the referee was arguably the best man on the park.”
Such expressions of goodwill after an Old Firm game? It will never catch on.
* Guardian Service
