SPL: Petrov goal separates rivals at interval

HT Rangers 0 Celtic 1

A 22nd-minute goal from Stilian Petrov gave Celtic a deserved half-time lead over Rangers in today’s Scottish Premier League clash at Ibrox.

The Bulgarian poked the ball past home goalkeeper Stefan Klos after Henrik Larsson had put him clear.

Arthur Numan cut inside from the left to fashion a shooting chance with his unfavoured right foot, but the ball swerved just over.

In the 22nd minute Petrov gave Celtic the lead.

Johan Mjallby’s long ball was deflected towards his own goal by Numan straight to Larsson. The Swede controlled it and pushed it into the path of Petrov, who had timed his run past the last man to perfection.

The Bulgarian, who opened the scoring in the 2-0 win here earlier in the season, poked the ball past Stefan Klos and gleefully watched it bobble over the line.

Ferguson was booked for a foul on Petrov which was not so serious in itself but an accumulation of earlier offences. Balde headed the free-kick wide.

Rangers looked rattled by the setback, and Vidmar looked particularly vulnerable at the back.

Guppy fired a corner in low, and Larsson peeled away from the six-yard box to flick an audacious backheel just over.

Amoruso mistakenly let a long ball go past him, and it needed a Vidmar-Klos combination to stop Larsson stealing in.

Flo had been starved of the ball at the other end and when he did get it on the edge of the box was soon crowded out by hooped shirts.

Rangers were looking ragged and unable to get any passing movements together as Celtic played the counter-attacking game to great effect.

McCann had a roving role in the Rangers midfield in the absence of de Boer - but despite some snapping tackles he was finding his task as creative linkman a difficult one.

He received a final warning from referee Hugh Dallas, following a foul on Petrov, that he too was on the brink of a booking.

Numan’s long ball down the inside-left channel gave Flo hope, but again Douglas was off his line smartly to get there first.

Douglas was not so assured when Caniggia crossed from the right and he had to concede a corner, which his colleagues eventually cleared.