Arveladze extra-time hero for Rangers

Rangers 2 Celtic 1 (after extra time)

The Georgian’s goal gave Rangers a 2-1 victory in this epic CIS Insurance Cup quarter-final, with fellow replacement Dado Prso having cancelled out John Hartson’s opener just before the regulation 90 minutes expired. It ended seven straight derby day defeats as Rangers celebrated their first victory over their rivals since March 2003.

Rangers dominated the opening 45 minutes, forcing corner after corner as Celtic opted to soak up as much pressure as possible to conserve already stretched resources for the full duration.

Prso, his head swathed in the white bandage which protected his cut forehead, replaced the stricken Thompson, who had just headed over, in the 27th minute.

More Rangers corners followed but although Celtic in no way resembled the Henrik Larsson-powered side that had whitewashed its rivals last season, they still showed their teeth when Didier Agathe’s pace took him past men to reach a shooting position in the box. Last season that might have resulted in a goal but this term Rangers have recruited France international Jean-Alain Boumsong and the defender arrived to make a vital block.

Varga was booked however, in the 45th minute, for barging Prso over and Hartson, Ricksen and Balde could all have been followed him within 15 minutes of the restart.

Celtic had been dormant for most of the game but came alive to take the lead in the 67th minute.

Varga was the man who almost made the breakthrough, poking the ball past Klos and off the crossbar, but the reprieve was short-lived.

Klos had been a spectator for most of the evening but had been slower to react than Varga, flapped to concede a corner straight after and was beaten at the back post by Hartson’s header after Alan Thompson’s corner had been whipped across to find him there.

Just five minutes were left on the clock when Prso slotted home the equaliser, locating an empty net after Marshall could only parry a fierce low drive from Namouchi.

Ibrox erupted and Agathe had to hoof a Boumsong header off the line three minutes later as Rangers threw everything they had left at Celtic before extra-time became a reality.

Rangers repelled a free-kick and promptly went upfield and scored. Ricksen played a one-two with Namouchi and after the Dutchman had raced some 60 yards upfield he played Arveladze in.

The Georgian still had much to do but buried a low drive from the edge of the area past Marshall to give Rangers the lead for the first time in the 100th minute of what had become an epic encounter.

RANGERS: Klos, Khizanishvili, Andrews, Boumsong, Vignal, Namouchi, Ricksen, Alex Rae (Hughes 111), Lovenkrands (Arveladze 79), Novo, Thompson (Prso 27).

CELTIC: Marshall, McNamara, Balde, Varga, Valgaeren, Agathe, Lennon, Petrov (Beattie 90), Thompson, Juninho Paulista (Camara 67), Hartson, Beattie (McGeady 105).

Ref: S Dougal.