Old Firm derby CHAOS as Celtic women’s boss Fran Alonso is HEADBUTTED by Rangers coach

The women’s Old Firm clash turned into chaos after the final whistle on Monday when Celtic manager Fran Alonso was headbutted by Rangers manager Craig McPherson.

Alonso celebrated Caitlin Hayes’ late equalizer like mad, running down the touchline, beating his chest before joining the celebrations with his players on the pitch.

With Hayes’s goal in the ninth minute of added time, it left a bitter taste in the Rangers staff, with a few words exchanged between the two benches as Celtic celebrated.

And as players and staff shook hands at Broadwood Stadium, McPherson closed in on Alonso before headbutting him from behind.

Alonso insisted he will not seek a lengthy suspension for Rangers assistant McPherson after ugly scenes in a match broadcast live on Sky Sports.

It came after Alonso’s celebration of Celtic’s 99th-minute equalizer seemed to irritate McPherson.

“It’s the frustration,” said the Spaniard. It’s not how I would show my frustration, but that’s what it was and I understand what happened.

It’s soccer. These are the emotions. It wasn’t much. I felt a bit of contact and then heard him call me ‘little rat’. I don’t know why I don’t know the reason

You would have to ask him. But I had no problems with them during the game. But honestly, for me, it’s nothing. You can stay here as part of the game.

‘I don’t want it to be banned or suspended. It’s not something you want to see, but for me it’s not a big problem.”

Alonso also insisted that he had the right to celebrate Hayes’ equalizer.

“I was frustrated in the closing stages because we had been pushing for the finish,” he said. ‘It was an explosion of happiness. That was our section, our fans. They were as happy as me. It was a beautiful moment that we deserved.’

Malky Thomson, the Rangers manager, downplayed the incident but admitted the Ibrox club would investigate.

‘Without seeing it, I will not comment on it. If that is the case, there will be an investigation,” Thomson said.

‘Craig is not that kind of person. I think it’s passion and we saw a lot of that on the pitch with two top teams coming together.”

Alonso said the coach called him ‘a little rat’ and argued that he had the ‘right to celebrate’

Brogan Hay’s opening goal in the first half appeared to be enough to give Rangers victory in a game they largely dominated.

But with the last kick of the ball, Hayes scored after a calamitous mix-up.

Rangers goalkeeper Jenna Fife came out to grapple with a long ball, but her clearance bounced off defender Rachel McLauchlan, allowing Hayes to capitalize on the indecision to score.

League leaders Glasgow City were the biggest winners last night, with the Old Firm draw leaving them eight points clear of Celtic, with Rangers a further point behind.

The Ibrox side were the most aggressive of the teams from the early stages as they immediately set about looking for holes in the defense on Parkhead’s side.

While they created the best chances against Celtic, it took a lapse in defensive concentration for the first goal to come.

A mix-up between Celtic goalkeeper Pamela Tajonar and captain Kelly Clark, as they both went for what looked like a fairly innocuous cross from Emma Watson, resulted in neither clearing adequately.

The ball fell enticingly into the path of Hay, who had the simple job of tapping the ball into the back of the net.

Having put their noses up front, the Rangers seemed eager to press their advantage.

Alonso has led the Celtic women’s team since 2020 and has won three trophies

Hay unnerved Celtic with her pace and trickery and was the architect of a glorious chance that nearly brought on the second goal of the night when she charged past the Parkhead defense before being saved in the six-yard box.

Maddie Nolf also forced Tajonar into a fingertip save as the Rangers looked to end the game.

Celtic’s most likely source of return to the game was through either Jacynta or Shen Menglu, both of whom exhibited sporadic flashes of creativity.

Hayes and Clark tried their hand at headers as the minutes wore on, but the Fife goalkeeper had no problem. But Hayes’ dying breath ensured the points were shared.