GLASGOW, Scotland (AP) — Rangers opted against giving a guard of honor for newly crowned Scottish champion Celtic ahead of the 1-1 draw between the fierce Glasgow rivals on Sunday.
Celtic was playing for the first time since clinching the Scottish Premiership title last weekend to join Rangers on a national-record 55 championship crowns.
Ahead of the game, interim Rangers manager Barry Ferguson had indicated there would be no guard of honor for Celtic, saying it had never happened in the past, and that ended up being the case at Ibrox.
The champions were roared onto the field by around 2,100 of their own supporters, however. It was the first time away fans were in attendance at a derby at Ibrox since the 2-2 draw in January 2023.
Home fans under scrutiny
After the match, it was the home fans under scrutiny after a glass bottle was among several items thrown into Celtic goalkeeper Viljami Sinisalo’s penalty area in the second half. Also, before kickoff, a banner was unfurled in one of the stands which depicted iconic former Rangers player and manager Graeme Souness holding a shotgun, with the words “Take aim against the rebel scum” underneath.
Rangers was unhappy with the behavior of some of its supporters.
“Rangers Football Club condemns the actions of the individual who threw a bottle during today’s match,” the club said. “This behavior has no place at our stadium. Steps have already been taken to identify the person responsible, and the club will take the strongest possible action once their identity is confirmed.
“We also acknowledge that the tifo displayed prior to kickoff crossed a line and was unacceptable. Our approach to supporter displays has always been built on trust, with the responsibility placed on groups to exercise good judgment. We will reflect on how these displays are managed and engage with supporter groups to ensure the right balance of trust, responsibility and oversight is maintained moving forward. Rangers is proud of its passionate fan base, and we all share a duty to protect the standards and reputation of our club.”
Rangers looked well placed to follow up its victories from January and March over Celtic when Cyriel Dessers struck in the 44th minute.
Celtic striker Adam Idah equalized in the 57th to make it six games in a row without a victory in all competitions for second-placed Rangers, which has now won just four of its 12 games under Ferguson and none at home since Feb. 2.
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