NafisaDanny Rohl was left visibly frustrated as Rangers suffered another damaging Old Firm defeat, falling 3-1 to Celtic at Parkhead in a match that unraveled quickly after an encouraging start gave way to a second-half collapse.
Rangers had actually begun the derby with real intent. Mikey Moore’s early goal gave the visitors the perfect platform and briefly silenced the Celtic support, with the away end sensing a chance to put real pressure on the home side in a high-stakes afternoon.
For the opening spell, Rangers looked organised, sharp in transition and aggressive without the ball. There was structure to their play and energy in their press, and for a short time they managed to disrupt Celtic’s rhythm.
But once the game settled, everything changed.
Celtic slowly took control of possession and began to dictate the tempo in midfield. Yang Hyun-jun’s equaliser before half-time proved to be a major turning point, shifting momentum firmly towards Martin O’Neill’s side.
From that moment onwards, Rangers struggled to cope.
Their shape became stretched, the gaps between midfield and defence widened, and Celtic began to find space far too easily in advanced areas. The intensity Rangers started with simply disappeared as the match wore on.
Daizen Maeda then delivered the decisive damage after the break.
His first goal put Celtic ahead following sustained pressure, and his second, a stunning overhead kick, effectively ended the contest and sent Celtic Park into full voice. Jack Butland was left with no chance as Rangers were punished for repeatedly failing to clear their lines.
Rohl’s frustration was clear from the touchline as the game slipped away, with the Rangers boss repeatedly seen reacting to missed challenges, loose passes and a general loss of control in key phases.
While there were isolated moments in the match that sparked debate among supporters, the bigger concern for Rangers was how quickly their performance level dropped after taking the lead.
That sense of frustration is expected to have carried into the dressing room after full-time. With emotions still high immediately after such a defeat, it is understood the Rangers camp would have been left with strong disappointment at how the game was allowed to drift away after a bright start, even allowing for any contentious moments during the afternoon.
Celtic’s equaliser in particular appeared to deflate Rangers, and from that point they rarely regained control. The home side grew in confidence, moved the ball quicker, and consistently found ways to stretch the visiting defence.
By the final whistle, Celtic had fully taken command of the derby in both performance and momentum, while Rangers were left to reflect on another Old Firm afternoon where early promise gave way to familiar collapse.
For Danny Rohl, the concern goes beyond the scoreline. It is the manner of the defeat, the loss of control after taking the lead, and the clear drop-off in intensity that will dominate discussion inside Ibrox heading into the next fixtures.
Nafisa
