Celtic - 3 Rangers - 3 Celtic and Rangers showed that the Ryder Cup does not have a monopoly on sporting drama and excitement by producing their own televised spectacular.
This fiercely-contested Old Firm fixture lacked the finesse of Colin Montgomerie and Tiger Woods, but if you like your entertainment raw, uncompromising and passionate the east end of Glasgow will not bow to The Belfry or anywhere else.
In the end the Glasgow giants shared the points in a pulsating match and few could quibble with that outcome.
Both teams held the lead at various times but neither ever edged sufficiently far ahead to claim the game.
In the end, Rangers will boast a moral victory as visitors and following their debilitating UEFA Cup defeat as recently as Thursday night, but they were given a reluctant helping hand from Celtic goalkeeper Robert Douglas, who made two crucial mistakes.
The Scotland number one's first came after just six minutes when he allowed Mikel Arteta's long-range drive to slip through his grasp.
Henrik Larsson's wonderfully-taken equaliser after 39 minutes and the Swede's second to put Celtic ahead seemed set to get Douglas off the hook, but after Ronald de Boer's fine header made it 2-2 - those goals within 45 seconds of each other after 53 minutes - the goalkeeper then spilled an Arthur Numan shot to allow Shota Arveladze to edge Rangers ahead again after 76 minutes.
The final act in the drama came two minutes after that as Chris Sutton made it 3-3.
"I was pleased with both the goals, but disappointed we did not get the three points," Larsson said.
Celtic manager Martin O'Neill conceded: "Robert is very downcast and it wasn't his best day but this was a result that got away as far as we were concerned because I felt we controlled most of the match.
"It was surreal to find ourselves 3-2 down but we showed a lot of character and although I was disappointed with the result I was pleased with the performance."
O'Neill, however, refused to become involved in any discussions over his forthcoming contract talks after chairman Brian Quinn revealed that he expects the Irishman to sign a new three- or four-year deal within the next two weeks when the football focus switches to the international team and there are no domestic distractions.
"Initial talks have already been held and we now have 10 days during which time Martin wants to sit down and talk terms. We're ready whenever he is," declared Quinn.
"Martin has been making more positive noises recently and I trust that means he is ready to sit down to some serious business.
"It certainly won't be a one-year deal and I want to be able to agree something like three or four years because we are building under Martin."
What Celtic are not doing, however, is beating Rangers and this was O'Neill's fifth unsuccessful attempt to get one over Ibrox manager Alex McLeish who was understandably pleased with the point that kept his team top of the Premier League.
"That was our aim from the start," he confirmed. "Yet to score three goals here and not win is a little disappointing even if the players deserve nothing but praise."
McLeish revealed that both Craig Moore, who lasted just 45 minutes, and Ronald de Boer had been major pre-match injury doubts, but the Dutch star insisted: "I wanted to play in this one because it is always a special occasion."
It was certainly that once more.
This fixture provided six goals, seven bookings for Celtic trio Momo Sylla, Bobo Balde and Alan Thompson and Rangers quartet Stefan Klos, Fernando Ricksen, de Boer and Maurice Ross and a half-time tunnel rumpus involving Moore, Ricksen and Thompson.
Celtic also claimed a first-half penalty for a Ricksen push on Stilian Petrov that might have made a difference, O'Neill was taken to task by referee Stuart Dougal for remonstrating on the touchline later, de Boer almost joined the visiting fans after his goal and Larsson insisted when the dust had settled: "We will fight to hang onto the title."
Paul McGinlay, Sam Torrance, Curtis Strange et al, eat your hearts out.
CELTIC: Douglas, Sylla (Agathe 59), Valgaeren, Laursen, Balde, Thompson, Lambert (Maloney 77), Lennon, Petrov (Hartson 74), Sutton, Larsson. Subs Not Used: Gould, Crainey. Booked: Thompson, Sylla, Balde. Goals: Larsson 39, 53, Sutton 78.
RANGERS: Klos, Ricksen, Moore (Konterman 45), Amoruso, Numan, Ferguson, de Boer (Caniggia 84), Ross, Arteta, Arveladze, Lovenkrands (McCann 50). Subs Not Used: McGregor, Latapy. Booked: de Boer, Ricksen, Arveladze, Ross. Goals: Arteta 6, de Boer 54, Arveladze 75.
Referee: S Dougal (Scotland).
