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Rangers goals Flo Norway striker scores on debut as Celtic falls 5-1 in derby
Updated: Sunday November 26, 2000 12:19 PM
GLASGOW (Reuters) -- Tore Andre Flo scored on his debut for Scottish champions Rangers on Sunday as they routed Celtic 5-1 at home to give their season the kiss of life. The Norwegian striker, signed from Chelsea on Thursday for a Scottish record $12 million pounds (US$16.88 million), turned the tide at Ibrox with a 59th minute goal that put his team 2-1 in front and sparked a Rangers deluge. Flo was bought to prevent Rangers from slipping an unthinkable 18 points behind their Glasgow rival, which collapsed after Alan Thompson's 64th-minute sending off left the side with 10 men. The defeat ended Celtic's 16 game unbeaten league run but it remains top with 44 points from 17 games. Rangers have 32 from 16 and are third, behind Hibernian on 37. Ronald de Boer, who also scored on his Old Firm debut, believes the victory can be a launch pad for Rangers' season. "I think everyone knew that we had to do it today," said the Dutch international. "There was no other alternative to winning -- it was crucial. If we lose we would have so far behind. The gap is smaller now and we have got our confidence back. Maybe now it is Celtic's turn to be a bit shaky." Celtic manager Martin O'Neill said: "The run had to end sometime, and now we have to start again. "But I always said this title race would be tight and that Rangers, by spending 12 million pounds on Flo, had indicated they meant business. "They are not going to give up their title lightly." Rangers' victory will have gone some way towards making up for a 6-2 defeat by Celtic in August. Flo and de Boer both missed open goals in the opening three minutes before Rangers went ahead with Barry Ferguson's burst into the box in 34 minutes. He gathered a pass from American international Claudio Reyna -- who had been booked in the ninth minute -- before steering a shot Celtic goalkeeper Robert Douglas. Celtic could have had a penalty three minutes later when Ferguson clearly stopped Stilian Petrov's shot with his hands, but its appeals were ignored. However, Henrik Larsson equalized for Celtic in the 56th minute with a glancing header from Alan Thompson's corner, but the league leader's joy was not to last long. After Flo scored, Thompson was then sent off for a foul on Ferguson, and Rangers cashed in on the numerical advantage. De Boer buried a 67th-minute header from Jorge Albertz's corner, and then the Dutch international provided another corner for Lorenzo Amoruso to header in after 74 minutes to make it 4-1. Substitute Michael Mols wrapped up the scoring after 85 minutes when he met de Boer's low cross and steered his shot past Douglas. British bookmaker William Hill responded to the result by cutting Rangers' title odds from 9-2 to 11-4. Celtic remain the favorite at 1-4, cut from the 1-7 of before the game.
Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
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