November 22, 2024

Motherwell 1-3 Celtic: Champions leave it late for Fir Park victory

Motherwell #Motherwell

Adam Idah heads in the Celtic equaliser early in the second halfAdam Idah heads in the Celtic equaliser early in the second half

Celtic scored twice in stoppage time as a comeback victory at Motherwell moved them back to two points behind Rangers in the Premiership title race.

Adam Idah completed a double on 94 minutes, adding to his smart header at the start of the second half.

Fellow substitute Luis Palma added a tap-in while the visiting fans were still celebrating that late reprieve.

Blair Spittal had curled in a fantastic shot at the end of a first half the hosts had much the better of.

The champions, who had drawn two of their three previous league outings, looked spooked during that period but found some much needed urgency to dominate the second half.

And Idah was the hero, replacing Kyogo Furuhashi at the interval and giving Celtic a real presence up front.

The on-loan Norwich striker levelled the game when rising well to steer in a Greg Taylor cross.

Both he and Daizen Maeda went close with further headers as the champions laid siege to the home penalty area and that pressure finally paid when the 23-year-old met an Alastair Johnston pass to slot low into the corner.

Yang Hyun-Jun, who also helped liven up Celtic from the bench, then teed up Palma for the simplest of finishes.

Motherwell who remain ninth, four points ahead of Ross County in the play-off place, were running on fumes in the closing stages, dealing with an onslaught.

The home side played with confidence in the first half, epitomised by the lovely footwork from teenager Lennon Miller to set up Spittal’s cracking finish from the edge of the penalty area.

Theo Bair had an early effort ruled out for offside and Miller was denied by a good Joe Hart save at 1-1 as they found gaps in a Celtic backline that has gone four matches without a clean sheet.

Celtic use wings more wisely to gain upper hand

Ontheir previous visit to Fir Park, Celtic found a 97th-minute winner. That goal from Matt O’Riley moved them seven points clear of Rangers after seven games.

Now the champions are playing catch up, having lost just twice all season. Draws have been costly as the Ibrox team have rattled off eight league wins in a row.

Midway through the six minutes added on it appeared another share of the points was on the cards for Brendan Rodgers’ side but a change of attitude and approach eventually swung the match in their favour.

While they were sluggish in the first half, the tempo increased markedly and the Idah change was not the only telling substitution.

Yang was much livelier than Oliver Kuhn, while Maeda upped his level as Celtic worked the wings much more effectively in the second half.

Motherwell competed commendably but were overwhelmed by the sheer volume of crosses coming in.

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers: “We had to show our mentality and belief as a team and that’s what we said at half-time. We ran out deserved winners in the second half.

“The key thing for us is to stay together. There’s a story being written about this club, but we will write our own story.”

Motherwell manager Stuart Kettlewell: “For 94 minutes I thought we were bang at it. The narrative will be that Celtic have come and turned us over but that’s anything but what I saw in the game.

“I think we possibly could have been further ahead in the first half. We came up short with our concentration yet again.”

What next?

Both sides are in action on Wednesday evening, with Celtic at home to Dundee (19:45 GMT) and Motherwell away to bottom side Livingston (20:00).

Line-upsMotherwell

Formation 3-4-2-1

1Kelly

16McGinn5Mugabi15Casey

21Devine38Miller17Zdravkovski3Gent

28Vale7Spittal

14Bair

  • 1Kelly
  • 16McGinn
  • 5Mugabi
  • 15CaseySubstituted forButcherat 74’minutesBooked at 79mins
  • 21DevineSubstituted forShawat 84’minutes
  • 38MillerSubstituted forO’Donnellat 84’minutes
  • 17Zdravkovski
  • 3GentSubstituted forBlaneyat 89’minutes
  • 28ValeSubstituted forNicholsonat 74’minutes
  • 7Spittal
  • 14Bair
  • Substitutes

  • 2O’Donnell
  • 9Obika
  • 13Oxborough
  • 18Shaw
  • 19Nicholson
  • 20Blaney
  • 29Elliot
  • 30Ferrie
  • 66Butcher
  • Celtic

    Formation 4-3-3

    1Hart

    2Johnston17Nawrocki5Scales3Taylor

    33O’Riley24Iwata42McGregor

    10Kühn8Furuhashi38Maeda

  • 1Hart
  • 2Johnston
  • 17NawrockiSubstituted forCarter-Vickersat 61’minutes
  • 5Scales
  • 3TaylorBooked at 55mins
  • 33O’Riley
  • 24IwataSubstituted forGonçalves Bernardoat 77’minutes
  • 42McGregor
  • 10KühnSubstituted forYangat 61’minutes
  • 8FuruhashiSubstituted forIdahat 45’minutes
  • 38MaedaSubstituted forPalmaat 84’minutesBooked at 90mins
  • Substitutes

  • 7Palma
  • 9Idah
  • 13Yang
  • 19Oh
  • 20Carter-Vickers
  • 28Gonçalves Bernardo
  • 29Bain
  • 48Kelly
  • 56Ralston
  • Referee:William Collum

    Attendance:8,639

    Live Text

  • Match ends, Motherwell 1, Celtic 3.

  • Second Half ends, Motherwell 1, Celtic 3.

  • Luis Palma (Celtic) is shown the yellow card for excessive celebration.

  • Goal! Motherwell 1, Celtic 3. Luis Palma (Celtic) right footed shot from the left side of the six yard box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Yang Hyun-Jun.

  • Goal! Motherwell 1, Celtic 2. Adam Idah (Celtic) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Alistair Johnston.

  • Attempt saved. Luis Palma (Celtic) header from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Alistair Johnston with a cross.

  • Foul by Paulo Bernardo (Celtic).

  • Bevis Mugabi (Motherwell) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  • Substitution, Motherwell. Shane Blaney replaces Georgie Gent.

  • Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Paul McGinn.

  • Attempt missed. Adam Idah (Celtic) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Greg Taylor.

  • Substitution, Celtic. Luis Palma replaces Daizen Maeda.

  • Substitution, Motherwell. Oli Shaw replaces Adam Devine.

  • Substitution, Motherwell. Stephen O’Donnell replaces Lennon Miller.

  • Hand ball by Daizen Maeda (Celtic).

  • Attempt saved. Liam Scales (Celtic) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Matt O’Riley with a cross.

  • Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Georgie Gent.

  • Attempt blocked. Matt O’Riley (Celtic) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Paulo Bernardo.

  • VAR Decision: No card change Calum Butcher (Motherwell).

  • Calum Butcher (Motherwell) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

  • Player of the match

    SpittalBlair Spittal

    Motherwell

  • Squad number7Player nameSpittal

  • Squad number38Player nameMiller

  • Squad number21Player nameDevine

  • Squad number17Player nameZdravkovski

  • Squad number14Player nameBair

  • Squad number28Player nameVale

  • Squad number15Player nameCasey

  • Squad number3Player nameGent

  • Squad number1Player nameKelly

  • Squad number5Player nameMugabi

  • Squad number16Player nameMcGinn

  • Squad number66Player nameButcher

  • Squad number20Player nameBlaney

  • Squad number19Player nameNicholson

  • Squad number18Player nameShaw

  • Squad number2Player nameO’Donnell

  • Celtic

  • Squad number9Player nameIdah

  • Squad number13Player nameYang Hyun-Jun

  • Squad number20Player nameCarter-Vickers

  • Squad number1Player nameHart

  • Squad number7Player namePalma

  • Squad number28Player namePaulo Bernardo

  • Squad number24Player nameIwata

  • Squad number5Player nameScales

  • Squad number3Player nameTaylor

  • Squad number2Player nameJohnston

  • Squad number17Player nameNawrocki

  • Squad number42Player nameMcGregor

  • Squad number38Player nameMaeda

  • Squad number33Player nameO’Riley

  • Squad number8Player nameFuruhashi

  • Squad number10Player nameKühn

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