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

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.

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.