Celtic Vs. Rangers, Old Firm Derby: Halftime Score, Tied 0-0 In Open Match

Celtic and Rangers haven’t produced any goals and also haven’t produced a whole lot of quality thus far in the Old Firm Derby, but it hasn’t been for a lack of action. It’s been a fun match so far, even if the intensity of the rivalry and the wind hasn’t been the least bit conducive to beautiful football. It’s been an even game, but Rangers can feel a bit hard done by, as they were not given a good goal. The score is tied up at 0-0 at halftime, but it seems unlikely to finish that way.

The moment of controversy came in the 7th minute, when Sone Aluko played a cross to the back post from the right flank. Lee Wallace got forward and got on the end of the cross with a header to the near post that appeared to go into the goal, but Fraser Forster made a save. Upon replay, it’s apparent that the ball crossed the line, but the move happened extremely quickly and the linesman was screened. The call was missed, but the officials can hardly be blamed.

The teams created a couple more clear cut chances in the opening 25 minutes before things got a bit more chippy and a bit less open for the final 20 minutes. In the 16th minute, Allan McGregor saved a shot by Gary Hooper, but the rebound bounced to Georgios Samaras. He put the ball into the back of the net, but the goal was correctly ruled out for offside. Six minutes later, Carlos Bocanegra had a chance to score on a corner kick when he found himself on the end of a header by Nikica Jelavic, but the ball bounced off his knee and over the crossbar.

Both teams’ tactics and the style of play have very much been dictated by the very high winds. There should be a goal or two in the second half, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see the game remain open and still end 0-0.