This is how Rangers may prevent Celtic from winning their first-ever SWPL championship.
This weekend will see the culmination of the Scottish Women’s Premier League (SWPL) championship race, with Elena Sadiku’s Celtic team poised to defeat Rangers and win the league for the first time ever.
The Scottish women’s premier league has just one game left, and although Jo Potter’s Rangers and the Hoops are tied on points, Sadiku’s team has a significant goal differential, making them the overwhelming favorites to win the SWPL trophy this coming Saturday. Rangers are the only team standing between Glasgow City, the previous year’s winners, and victory.
For their last game of the season, the Hoops will make their second trip back to Celtic Park, where they will take on Grant Scott’s fifth-place Hibs team. Rangers will play Partick Thistle at Broadwood, across Glasgow. The start time of both games is set at 2:10 p.m.
While it may feel like the trophy is destined to head to Glasgow’s east end, a title race is never done until it is done. So if you’re looking to tune into the SWPL title race this Sunday, here are all the permutations heading into the season finale.
What do Celtic Women need to do to win the SWPL?
The task for the Hoops this week is pretty simple. If they beat Hibs at Celtic Park, it would take a monumental result from Rangers to stop them winning the league title with the Gers so far behind on goal difference. There is currently a 16-goal gap between the sides, with Celtic’s goal difference standing at +107 compared to Rangers’ +91. Hibs have proved to be stubborn opposition for the league’s top sides recently though and drew 2-2 with Glasgow City and before narrowly losing 3-2 to Rangers on Wednesday night. Should the Leith outfit pull off a result at Celtic Park, the permutations for the title change in favour of Rangers.
How can Rangers Women stop Celtic Women winning the SWPL?
If Celtic win the game against Hibs on Sunday, Rangers will need to defeat Partick Thistle by double figures – which is highly unlikely. So assuming the Hoops win, there’s largely nothing Rangers can do. However, should Celtic draw their game, then any form of Rangers win will be enough to hand them the league. If both teams draw, the likelihood is Sadiku’’s Hoops side will lift the title. Should Rangers’ Old Firm rivals lose against Hibs, the Gers would simply only need a draw at home to Partick Thistle to secure the title.