Soccer-Celtic keep Scottish title race alive with 3-1 win over Rangers


Soccer Football - Scottish Premiership - Celtic v Rangers - Celtic Park, Glasgow, Scotland, Britain - May 10, 2026 Celtic's Daizen Maeda celebrates scoring their third goal with teammates REUTERS/Russell Cheyne

GLASGOW, May 10 (Reuters) - Celtic ⁠forward Daizen Maeda struck twice in five second-half minutes, including a ⁠superb bicycle kick, as his side beat Rangers 3-1 at ‌home in Sunday's Old Firm derby to set up a dramatic final week in the Scottish Premiership.

The win leaves Celtic on 76 points, one point behind league leaders ​Heart of Midlothian. Hearts play Falkirk on Wednesday ⁠when Celtic visit Motherwell, with ⁠the top two sides set to face off in a potential title ⁠decider ‌at Celtic Park on the final day of the season next Saturday.

After Hearts were held by Motherwell on Saturday, Celtic ⁠came into Sunday's game knowing they could make up ​some ground on ‌the leaders, but they got off to the worst possible start ⁠by going behind ​to a Mikey Moore goal in the ninth minute.

Despite their recent poor home record against their rivals, Celtic kept their cool and equalised in the ⁠23rd minute when Yang Hyun-Jun swept a ​pass from Arne Engels into the net to send his side level at the break.

After a quiet first half, Maeda stamped his mark on the ⁠second in a blistering short spell, bundling home Kieran Tierney's pass to put his side 2-1 up in the 53rd minute before teeing himself up to score with an acrobatic effort a few minutes later.

With the ​title hopes of third-placed Rangers, on 69 ⁠points, fading fast, the visitors poured forward in the closing stages but Celtic ​held firm, and the final whistle was ‌greeted with a joyous roar from ​the home crowd as the title race looks set to go down to the wire.

(Reporting by Philip O'ConnorEditing by Christian Radnedge)

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