DESPITE what the scoreline said come full-time, there was a winner amid all this mayhem. Sat around their television sets 50 miles east, the players and management of Hearts would have punched the air when John Beaton put the whistle to his lips for the final time.
In the context of how this affair played out, a draw here was a much better outcome for Celtic than it was Rangers.
Having come back from two goals down at the break to snatch a draw at the death through Reo Hatate, Martin O’Neill’s men know they can now go above Rangers if they win at Aberdeen on Wednesday night.
Truthfully, though, a share of the spoils did neither side much good. Rangers are six behind the Tynecastle men with just nine games remaining. They now need favours from elsewhere.
Celtic will be marginally better off if they can see off the Dons but will still be five points behind the leaders even if they tick that one off. It’s fast becoming Hearts’ title to lose.
Daizen Maeda’s header hits Rangers defender Dujon Sterling on the hand
Reo Hatate finishes at the third time of asking to secure a point for Celtic at Ibrox
This promised to be a crowning moment for Danny Rohl. It turned into a poor afternoon for the Rangers head coach.
His side were simply outstanding in the first half, richly deserving of the two-goal
advantage they enjoyed through Youssef Chermiti’s double. The only complaint the German could have had was that his side weren’t already out of sight.
How Rohl would come to rue a string of missed opportunities that came and went. Celtic were unrecognisable when they re-emerged.
When Kieran Tierney pulled one back, the Rangers fans urged Rohl to do something. He seemed unable to make the changes required to turn the flow of the match back in his side’s favour. It didn’t materialise.
There was a degree of good fortune about how Hatate levelled just as we entered stoppage time with Jack Butland repelling his initial spot-kick and the follow-up. At the third time of asking, the Japanese found the net. On the balance of play, though, it was merited.
This season has already thrown up enough surreal moments to last a lifetime, but the scene at the end was up there with any of them. As Martin O’Neill took the acclaim of the Celtic supporters on his 74th birthday after a spirited comeback, it momentarily felt like you’d time travelled back to the start of the century.
Rohl had already shaken his hand and somewhat sheepishly made his way back up the tunnel to reflect on a golden opportunity missed. Perhaps he’ll reflect that his choice words on Friday were not the wisest move.
O’Neill had a huge call to make in goal. On the back of a stellar display in Stuttgart, his selection of Viljami Sinisalo would have met with the approval of most Celtic supporters.
Whether Kasper Schmeichel was on board with the decision was a source of some conjecture. The official line was that the Dane was under the weather. In any event, he didn’t even make the bench.
Kieran Tierney rises highest to head home Celtic’s first goal in the 2-2 draw at Ibrox
Julian Araujo and Nicolas Raskin clash at the end of Sunday’s Old Firm draw at Ibrox
Rohl deployed the same formation that had got the better of Hearts. That saw Chermiti and Ryan Naderi paired up front. The danger was allowing Celtic an extra body in midfield.
Usually, it takes a while for the pattern of these clashes to become apparent. Not this one.
From the first whistle, Rangers were up on the game. They won tackles, chased their opponents down and showed composure and belief. They were everything Celtic were not.
Dane Murray managed to get his body in the way of an early Mikey Moore curler, but the tone had been set for the first period.
The hosts were ahead inside eight minutes when Chermiti decided to steal the show with a goal which immediately entered Rangers folklore.
Andreas Skov Olsen found space on the right and stood the ball up. The Portuguese had his back to goal and seemed set to lay it off to a team-mate. What did we know?
To have the courage to attempt an audacious overhead kick was one thing. To have the skill to execute it to perfection was another matter. Hovering in the air, the power he generated to beat Sinisalo all ends up with his right foot was extraordinary.
If the forward plays until he’s 40, he won’t enjoy another moment quite like that one.
Eighteen minutes later, though, he’d another goal against Celtic to add to his collection. This one owed everything to shambolic Celtic defending.
Murray panicked and sliced a clearance. Julian Araujo only had to kick for touch but completely went to sleep. Chermiti was onto it in a flash and clipped it over the full-back and then prodded it beyond the keeper.
Ibrox erupted. O’Neill watched on in horror at what was unfolding before his eyes.
Rangers had two goals and they might already have put the game to bed. Moore’s deep cross had earlier picked out Chermiti. This time his effort went wide.
Celtic were all over the place. Losing their individual battles across the pitch and continually turning the ball over, they scarcely threatened. Junior Adamu was isolated. On the one occasion Daizen Maeda got in behind and cut the ball back, Nico Raskin stepped in and mopped up the danger.
If the visitors had started a game at Ibrox in a worse fashion, then no one present could remember it. They couldn’t do right for doing wrong.
Neat feet by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain released Maeda. His cross to Adamu was woeful. Araujo and Benjamin Nygren then hooked the ball out of play under no pressure.
Bluntly, they did well to get to the break just two goals behind. Manny Fernandez might well have made it three. His header from Moore’s cross flashed wide.
O’Neill could have hooked any number of players at the break. He went no further than replacing Adamu — just six touches — and Oxlade-Chamberlain, who was anonymous.
Before either Hatate or Seb Tounekti had touched the ball, though, Rangers came closer to getting the third. Skov Olsen’s strike was deflected off target before Tuur Rommens fired straight into Sinisalo’s arms.
Celtic manager Martin O’Neill celebrates as his side secure a draw at Ibrox
Yousef Chermiti celebrates after scoring his second goal in Sunday’s 2-2 Old Firm draw
For really the first time in the match, Celtic then enjoyed a spell of pressure which saw them halve the deficit. Chermiti’s ill-advised back heel allowed Celtic to break. Hatate had a low shot which Butland turned away, but the visitors hemmed their opponents in.
Some incisive passing preceded Nygren’s deep cross. Tierney headed back across goal. Butland tried to adjust his feet but couldn’t keep the ball out of the net.
Rangers were rattled. Maeda should have levelled when he headed Tounekti’s cross straight at Butland.
Hatate flashed another half-chance over. Nygren’s header dropped wide. There was now anxiety among the home supporters.
With Celtic on top, Luke McCowan really ought to have levelled following a mazy run by Tounekti. Butland blocked his effort at the far post. Murray then stuck a header in the stand.
With the clock ticking down, James Forrest dropped a shoulder and crossed. Maeda’s header looked to have been saved by Butland only for VAR Steven McLean to spot that it had struck Dujon Sterling’s arm.
The dubious honour of taking the spot-kick fell to Hatate. The Japanese tamely hit his effort down the middle. Butland saved then re-set and saved the rebound. To the agony of the Rangers keeper, the midfielder bundled the ball home at the third attempt.
It might not be enough to save Celtic’s season. But there’s life in it yet.