Motherwell 1-1 Rangers: Celtic loanee Stephen Welsh strikes late to deny Danny Röhl crucial victory in title race
Report and free highlights as Stephen Welsh salvages late draw for Motherwell vs Rangers to give Hearts breathing space in title race; Nicolas Raskin had given visitors early lead and Rangers appeared to be heading for victory after Lukas Fadinger's red card
Wednesday 11 February 2026 23:56, UK
Celtic loanee Stephen Welsh struck late as 10-man Motherwell denied Rangers the chance to cut Hearts' lead in the title race to three points by holding them to a 1-1 draw at Fir Park.
The centre-back turned home Eythor Bjorgolfsson's nod down in the penultimate minute of normal time to stun the Gers, who had led since the sixth minute and played with an extra man for the final 12 after Lukas Fadinger's red card.
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In truth, the draw was the least Motherwell deserved having enjoyed the lion's share of the play following Nicolas Raskin's early opener, a sweeping finish from Mo Diomande's through ball providing a rare moment of quality for the visitors before the break.
Stephen O'Donnell should have done better with a header from a free-kick before Tawanda Maswanhise was denied by Jack Butland from a seemingly impossible angle, the Rangers goalkeeper tipping his effort onto the post and behind.
Motherwell held their nerve and continued to push, though Youssef Chermiti should have doubled Rangers' lead when he was twice denied by Calum Ward in the same move.
Motherwell created a number of half-chances after the break but looked like their hopes of salvaging anything from the game had gone when Fadinger's yellow card for a lunge on Mikey Moore was upgraded to a red following a VAR review.
But if anything, it galvanised the hosts. First Bjorgolfsson should have equalised when he headed O'Donnell's cross into the floor and gave Butland a presentable save, before moments later he made amends when nodding down for Welsh to bundle home.
The result leaves Rangers five points off leaders Hearts - who visit Ibrox on Sunday, live on Sky Sports.
Röhl: Title race still on if we beat Hearts
Rangers head coach Danny Röhl:
"It's not nice. The good thing is we have the next opportunity.
"When you come from so many points behind [from earlier in the season], there's no time for a rest, you have to be on the front foot again and again and you have to win games.
"But as I said as well today, the title race is not over. It's a bit of a blow because you dropped the two points very late.
"But on Sunday we have the next opportunity and if our reaction is right, and we take the right result on Sunday, it's not an easy one, but it's still a chance for us and we will see.
"Our fans expect and demand always a win, this is what we demand. There's a reason why our opponent hadn't conceded a goal [at home] since October, here you saw it, they were well organised.
"We tried our best and until this final minute we were close to getting three points, but it's football. Sometimes you come to a point where you concede a late goal, sometimes you have to score, and you can't score.
"We have to move forward. I expect in this race that it goes a little bit up and down for all the three teams. We have to have a good game on Sunday."
Askou proud of 'dominant' Motherwell
Motherwell boss Berthel Askou:
"We've played three really good games against Rangers and we've lifted our performance every time.
"Today was our best performance of the three. We dominated the game from start to finish.
"Maybe they had a 10-minute spell in the second half when we rushed things too quick. Obviously they had a fantastic moment for the goal - it was a beautiful goal.
"But from there we took over and dominated, even when we were one man down. We pushed and pushed and showed even more bravery and quality. We deservedly got the point."
