Celtic star Arne Engels was struck by a coin thrown by a Rangers fan during a feisty Old Firm derby at Ibrox. The Belgian midfielder let out an audible yelp as he was targeted in a 'disgusting' incident during Rangers' 3-0 triumph.
Engels had approached the corner flag to support Celtic captain Callum McGregor in taking a corner in the 88th minute. However, he screamed before hitting the turf. It became apparent that the 21-year-old had been struck by a missile.
The Celtic player was clearly in pain as he held his head. His team-mates and opposition players both ran across to check on his wellbeing. Referee Don Robertson halted the match to assess what had happened.
Robertson was handed the coin and he passed it on to a policeman on the other side of the pitch. The individual was seen holding a plastic bag containing the missile.
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“Sadly objects have been thrown. This is the ugly side that we do not want to see. Unfortunately, it happens too often. It’s Arne Engels,” said Sky Sports commentator Ian Crocker.
“Unfortunately, Arne Engels has been hit by something there.”
Former Celtic striker Chris Sutton said: “Absolutely ridiculous, isn’t it?”
Ex-Rangers winger Neil McCann added: “That’s disgusting. We don’t want to see that. There’s no place for that in football.”
Crocker continued: “Three-nil up, a result to enjoy and a day to remember for Rangers. And then someone does this. Engels looks alright now.”
Rangers secured a surprise 3-0 win over the runaway Scottish Premiership leaders in a fierce Old Firm clash. Ianis Hagi handed the dominant Gers the lead in the 7th minute with a left-footed drive from long range.
Robin Propper struck from a set-piece midway through the second half before Danilo scored his side's third goal nine minutes from full-time. He had only entered the field of play as a substitute 17 seconds prior to converting.
Hagi said after a memorable Rangers win at Ibrox: "It feels good. You want to win derbies. Is it a step forward for us? Indeed. We know it is three points but we go again in three days. It was an all-round good game for us. You can start really well and finish bad, but we were consistent. Moving forward, we have to be consistent for 90 minutes."
Rangers had gone 19 months without a win over Celtic, who won the most recent Old Firm derby in a frantic Scottish League Cup final in December. Brendan Rodgers' side won on penalties after a thrilling 3-3 draw after extra-time.
