Martin O’Neill intervenes in post-match confrontation at Ibrox
Martin O’Neill spent his 74th birthday intervening in a mass confrontation at Ibrox after Celtic rescued a point from two goals behind against Rangers on Sunday, reports BritPanorama.
The veteran Celtic manager charged towards the centre circle as tempers boiled over following the 2-2 draw, physically ushering Tomas Cvancara, Dane Murray, and match-saver Reo Hatate away from the melee.
Celtic legend Chris Sutton, providing commentary for Sky Sports, quipped, “He shouldn’t be doing that at his age!” The dramatic scenes capped an extraordinary afternoon in Glasgow, where Danny Röhl’s Rangers had appeared destined for victory before Celtic’s remarkable second-half fightback.
Rangers started strong, with Youssef Chermiti announcing himself in stunning fashion after just eight minutes, executing a perfectly timed overhead kick that beat Viljami Sinisalo. He doubled Rangers’ advantage in the 26th minute, capitalizing on a wayward clearance from Murray.
Celtic’s defence looked disorganized throughout the opening period, with O’Neill’s side appearing to suffer from the physical toll of their midweek European commitments. At halftime, Rangers appeared in complete control of the contest.
The visitors transformed after the break, finding their rhythm through a flowing passing move in the 56th minute that allowed Benjamin Nygren to tee up Tierney for a powerful header past Jack Butland. Celtic pressed relentlessly for a leveller as Rangers retreated deeper into their own half.
The breakthrough came during stoppage time when VAR awarded a penalty in the 89th minute after Dujon Sterling was adjudged to have handled inside the area. Hatate’s spot-kick was repelled by Butland, who then denied the rebound, but the Japanese midfielder bundled home at the third attempt to spark pandemonium.
The final whistle prompted ugly confrontations across the pitch. Mikey Moore shoved Julian Araujo before angrily jabbing his finger at the Mexican defender, while Nicolas Raskin and Liam Scales became embroiled in their own altercation. Tuur Rommens and Cvancara also squared up in full view of the television cameras before O’Neill’s intervention.
The shared spoils leave both Glasgow clubs trailing in the title race, with Hearts remaining six points clear at the summit of the Scottish Premiership. Rangers occupy second place, while Celtic sits a further two points adrift in third, though O’Neill’s side have a game in hand over their rivals.
In the end, the match served as a vivid reminder of the ferocity of the Old Firm rivalry, where the intensity extends beyond the pitch, highlighting how even the most experienced figures can find themselves drawn into the fray.
