RabiuKris Boyd Hails Jack Butland’s Heroics in Dramatic Old Firm DrawIn a thrilling Old Firm derby at Ibrox Stadium on March 1, 2026, Rangers and Celtic played out a pulsating 2-2 draw, with former Rangers striker and Sky Sports pundit Kris Boyd singling out goalkeeper Jack Butland for special praise despite the late heartbreak for the home side.
The match exploded into life early on, with Rangers’ on-loan Everton forward Youssef Chermiti stealing the show in the first half. Chermiti opened the scoring in the 8th minute with a stunning wonder goal, controlling a cross from Andreas Skov Olsen before volleying an acrobatic effort past Celtic’s Kasper Schmeichel. He doubled the lead in the 26th minute, capitalizing on slack defending to slot home from close range after a quick Rangers counter-attack. Celtic, the defending champions, looked shell-shocked and failed to test Butland meaningfully before the break, as Rangers dominated possession and created the better chances.
The second half saw a resurgent Celtic, managed by Martin O’Neill, fight back. Kieran Tierney pulled one back in the 56th minute with a powerful header from Emil Nygren’s cross, setting up a tense finale. The drama peaked in stoppage time when a VAR review spotted Dujon Sterling’s handball off Daizen Maeda’s header, awarding Celtic a penalty.
Reo Hatate stepped up, but Butland produced a heroic display. He dived low to save Hatate’s initial spot-kick, then quickly reacted to deny the rebound poke. However, with the ball still in play, Hatate bundled it home on his third attempt, rescuing a point for Celtic and leaving Rangers fans deflated after leading for so long.
Post-match, Kris Boyd, analyzing on Sky Sports, lauded Butland’s performance amid the disappointment. “Jack Butland was outstanding today,” Boyd said. “Despite the draw, he kept Rangers in it with crucial saves throughout. That penalty sequence was unbelievable – saving it twice before Hatate finally got it in. He’s been Rangers’ rock all season, and performances like this show why. It’s gutting to drop points late, but you can’t fault Butland; he did everything right.”
The result leaves both Glasgow giants trailing league leaders Hearts, with Rangers and Celtic now level on points but needing to close a seven-point gap. Boyd’s comments highlight Butland’s resilience in a match that encapsulated the intensity of the Old Firm rivalry, where individual brilliance often shines through the chaos.
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