Brendan Rodgers side produced a superb performance to sign off 2023 with a dominant derby win at Celtic Park.
Goals from Paulo Bernardo and Kyogo gave the Hoops a well-deserved win, with captain Callum McGregor producing a Man of the Match performance in the heart of the Celtic midfield to inspire his team-mates.
Celtic started on the front foot and after just five minutes, Kyogo latched on to a ball over the top from Callum McGregor, and from a tight angle, the striker forced a save from Jack Buckland at his near post.
At the other end, Ross McCausland managed to cut a ball across the six-yard box, but Joe Hart did well to block it with his feet before the ball was cleared.
On 11 minutes, Celtic came close to the opener when Luis Palma curled a ball into the box. Bernardo rose highest but his header went just wide.
The Portuguese midfielder came even closer with a shot from the edge of the box on 22 minutes after Celtic had forced the Rangers defence into a mistake.
But just two minutes later, he made no mistake with an effort inside the box to give the Hoops a 1-0 win. Palma’s dangerous corner into the box fell to Bernardo, and he smashed the ball home, sending Paradise into raptures.
Just after the half-hour mark, Rangers had a chance to equalise when Cyriel Dessers latched on to a mistake from Alistair Johnston, but the Canadian redeemed himself, edging out the attacker inside the area as he got set to shoot.
On 34 minutes, Brendan Rodgers was forced to make a change, with Stephen Welsh picking up an injury and having to be replaced by Maik Nawrocki.
McCausland again looked to cause problems when he latched on to a long ball from the keeper, but the Celtic defence stood firm, while on 41 minutes, Joe Hart denied the Rangers attacker, saving his shot before the ball was cleared.
There was barely 90 seconds of the second half gone when Celtic extended their lead, and it was a stunning strike from Kyogo.
The Japanese striker collected the ball 20 yards from goal and unleashed an unstoppable left-foot shot into the top corner of Buckland’s net.
It was Kyogo’s seventh goal in the derby, all of them coming in 2023, and it was a breathtaking finish from the best striker in Scotland.
Celtic were controlling the game, with Callum McGregor dictating the tempo of the game, and on 71 minutes, things went from bad to worse for the visitors when they were reduced to 10 men.
Kyogo dispossessed Connor Goldson and threaded the ball through for Daizen Maeda but he was hauled to the ground by Leon Balogun as he raced through on goal, and the Rangers defender was sent off.
Rangers were given a glimmer of hope with three minutes remaining when James Tavernier scored with a free-kick on the edge of the area, but Celtic held firm in the 11 added minutes to secure a well-deserved win, their second of the season over their city rivals.
Celtic: Hart, Alistair Johnston, Welsh (Nawrocki 35'), Scales, Taylor, O'Riley, McGregor, Paulo Bernardo (Turnbull 71'), Maeda (Mikey Johnston 83'), Kyogo (Hyeongyu Oh 83'), Palma (Abada 83')
Subs: Abada, Hyunjun Yang, Turnbull, Nawrocki, Hyeongyu Oh, Bain, Hatate, Ralston, Mikey Johnston
Rangers: Butland, Tavernier, Goldson, Balogun, Yilmaz, Sterling, Lundstram (Souttar 77'), McCausland, Cantwell (Dowell 69'), Sima (Scott Wright 70'), Dessers
Subs: Souttar, Lammers, Cifuentes, Matondo, Dowell, Scott Wright, McCrorie, King, Devine
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