The Guardian - UK (2022-05-02)

Monday 2 May 2022 The Guardian •

39

Scottish Premiership

Sakala strike

earns point

but Celtic

close in on

another title

It was fair enough that Celtic looked
towards a bigger picture. Barring an
extraordinary collapse from the posi-
tion of six points and 19 goals ahead
of Rangers with three games to play,
Ange Postecoglou’s team will be
crowned Scottish champions.
At that point Postecoglou and
the principal shareholder, Dermot
Desmond, would be entitled to serve
humble pie to those who even in the
early stages of this campaign derided
Celtic’s prospects of upstaging their
city rivals. Postecoglou’s quiet con-
fi dence and Desmond’s belief in this
coach will ultimately win the day. It
just hasn’t quite yet.
The unmistakable undercurrent
from the home support here was frus-
tration. At one goal in front against
their oldest foes, Celtic had plans to
kick off the party. Rangers had other
ideas, probably assisted by an ele-
ment of nervousness from those in
green and white with the reclaiming
of the title so tantalisingly close. A
draw was a perfectly fair outcome,
as was widely acknowledged.
Having lost the Scottish Cup
semi-fi nal against Rangers and been
held here, the assumption may be that
Celtic are running out of steam. Yet
Postecoglou, who conceded much of
his team’s play was “tense”, believes
mental exertions are more pertinent
than those of a physical kind. “For
a lot of the players, this is the fi rst
year of feeling the expectation and
pressure here,” the Australian said. It
is a valid point; Postecoglou assem-
bled this team at short notice, since
which time they have upstaged a
Rangers side who were comfortable
champions a season ago.
“You can’t question their char-
acter,” he said. “They are a deter-
mined lot and they are determined

Where would Tottenham be without

Harry Kane and Son Heung-min?

It’s a question that Spurs supporters

must hope they never have to answer

after watching the deadly duo ensure

Antonio Conte’s side maintained

their push for a top-four finish

despite a less than vintage perfor-

mance against Leicester’s B team.

Kane’s 13th Premier League goal

of the season – courtesy of an assist

from Son, of course – came in the fi rst

half before the substitute Dejan Kulu-

sevski got in on the act to set up the

South Korean for both his 18th and

then a spectacular 19th were enough

to ensure victory for Spurs in their

race with Arsenal for fourth spot.

At this rate, the north London

derby on 1 2 May will certainly not be

for the faint-hearted, although Conte

acknowledged his side must improve

for that showdown and when they

travel to Anfi eld on Saturday.

“It’s a very important result

because there is a lot of pressure

at this stage. But I want my play-

ers to enjoy it,” Conte said. “No one

expected us to be in this position in

November and now we have to keep

going to fi ght for a big achievement.”

The last time these sides met in

January, two stoppage-time goals

from Steven Bergwijn snatched a

dramatic victory for Tottenham

that Conte said “highlighted the

spirit and commitment” of his

players. But having surrendered their

advantage over their bitter rivals in

disap pointing performances against

Brighton and Brentford, the Italian

knew there could be no slip-ups here

against under-strength opposition

with their eyes on a diff erent prize.

Conte surprisingly recalled Lucas

Moura in place of Kulusevski in the

only change from last week’s draw

at Brentford, while Brendan Rodgers

made no apologies for his selection

that included only three of the play-

ers who started against Roma in the

fi rst leg of the Europa Conference

League semi-fi nal in midweek.

Luckily for Spurs, they are able

to call on the most prolifi c attacking

partnership in Premier League his-

tory and the 41st goal combination

between Son and Kane midway

through the fi rst half was as simple

as they come.

Daniel Amartey was culpable

for allowing the England captain

plenty of time to stoop and head

in from a pinpoint corner from his

South Korean accomplice to open the

scoring – 211 minutes after they had

last registered a shot on target against

Aston Villa on 9 April.

Nampalys Mendy almost gifted

Kane his second 10 minutes later with

a sloppy backpass that forced Kasper

Schmeichel into action. At the other

end, Kelechi Iheanacho fi red just

wide of the post from outside the box

before a delightful piece of skill from

Ayoze Pérez set up another chance

Premier League

Son strikes twice

as Spurs strengthen

top-four credentials

for Leicester, with his scuff ed shot

that just eluded the Nigerian’s dive.

With Leicester also having enjoyed

the lion’s share of possession, Conte

must have stressed the need for an

improved performance from his

players in the second half given but

once more Tottenham were slow out

of the blocks.

The introduction of Kulusevski

for the ineff ective Moura less than

10 minutes in was at least recogni-

tion that his tinkering had not worked

this time, with the substitute almost

making an immediate impact with

a mazy dribble before losing his

balance at the vital moment.

But after two crunching tackles

from Cristian Romero turned over

possession just inside the Leicester

half, it was Kulusevski’s clever pass

that allowed Son space to swivel and

shoot past the helpless Schmeichel

to surpass his previous highest goals

tally in a single season.

“We’re frustrated at conceding the

fi rst two goals,” said Rodgers, who

also handed 21-year-old Lewis Brunt

his fi rst Premier League appearance.

“That’s what has cost us this season.”

Son could have doubled his tally

soon afterwards, only to fail to

make signifi cant contact on Rodrigo

Bentancur’s accurate cross from the

left fl ank to allow Leicester’s goal-

keeper to make the save. There was no

stopping his next attempt, however.

Nothing looked on when Kulusevski

rolled the ball back to Son on the edge

of the penalty area but a curling shot

that dipped just below the crossbar

gave Schmeichel no chance and left

Leicester with a mountain to climb.

Iheanacho’s goal in stoppage time

that beat Hugo Lloris via his near post

was merely a consolation.

Ewan Murray
Celtic Park

Ed Aarons

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

Celtic 1
Jota 21

Rangers 1
Sakala 67

Tottenham 3

Kane 22, Son 60 79

Leicester 1

Iheanacho 90

to fi nish the season strongly.” Two

remaining home games, either side

of a trip to Dundee United, boost the

Celtic cause. Celtic are now 29 league

matches unbeaten.

What Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s

team lack in talent they have recently

made up for in resilience. With this

derby sandwiched in between

Europa League semi-fi nal ties against

RB Leipzig , there was a sense Rang-

ers could wilt. The opposite tran-

spired; Fashion Sakala came within

the width of a post of earning three

points for the visitors.

“I couldn’t ask for any more from

the players, especially in the second

half,” Van Bronckhorst said.

Ryan Kent should have sent

Rangers ahead in the early stages

but instead prodded wide. With an

almost identical chance, Celtic’s

on-loan winger Jota slammed beyond

Allan McGregor from a Daizen Maeda

cross. Neither Connor Goldson nor

Borna Barisic will look to be reminded

of their role in the opener.

Maeda missed a glorious oppor-

tunity to double Celtic’s lead before

the break. Rangers capitalised via

Sakala, who played a neat one-two

with Kent before lashing the ball

beyond Joe Hart. Some may criticise

Hart for being beaten at his near post

but the ferocity of Sakala’s shot gave

the custodian little chance.

Hart saved smartly from Scott

Arfi eld in the closing stages. Sakala

was also denied by Hart, before

heading over from a corner and

watching a subsequent eff ort strike

woodwork. Celtic looked a tired

lot long before full-time, with

post-match acclaim from supporters

distinctly muted.

Hart said he will wait until i’s are

dotted before articulating what a

championship win will mean to

him. The former England goalkeeper,

though, gave the distinct impression

this reboot of his career in Glasgow

resonates rather a lot. “We are in a

good, strong position,” Hart said.

“We will take the draw and move

on to next week. We have worked

very hard to be in this position .”

As supporters traded insults – and

worse – by the segregation barrier,

Hart signed off from media duties

by branding Rangers “proper oppo-

sition”. Such a level of respect in the

midst of this fi erce, often petty scene

will never catch on.

Celtic

4-3-3

Hart; Ralston•,

Carter-Vickers, Starfelt,

Taylor; O’Riley

(Bitton• 61), McGregor,

Hatate (Rogic 61);

Jota, Furuhashi

(Giakoumakis• 61),

Maeda (Abada 78)

Subs not used

Bain, Turnbull, Forrest,

McCarthy, Welsh

Rangers

4-2-3-1

McGregor; Tavernier,

Goldson•, Bassey,

Barisic•; Lundstram,

Davis (Jack 63); Sakala,

Arfield (Diallo• 87),

Kent•; Ayodele-Aribo

(Wright 63)

Subs not used

McLaughlin, Itten, Sands,

Kamara, King, Lowry

Referee John Beaton

Tottenham

3-4-3

Lloris; Romero,

Dier, Davies•;

Royal, Bentancur•

(Winks 82), Højbjerg,

Sessegnon; Moura

(Kulusevski 55), Kane,

Son (Bergwijn 82)

Subs not used

Gollini, Sánchez,

Rodon, White,

Scarlett, Craig

Leicester

3-5-2

Schmeichel; Castagne,

Amartey•, Soyuncu;

Albrighton•, Mendy,

Soumaré (Brunt 67),

Pérez (Tielemans 76),

Thomas•; Iheanacho,

Daka (Vardy 67)

Subs not used

Ward, Justin, Fofana,

Barnes, Choudhury,

Lookman

Referee Jon Moss Attendance 59,482

 Celtic’s Jota

shows his delight

after beating

Allan McGregor

to open the

scoring in the

Old Firm game

IAN MACNICOL/GETTY

IMAGES