Motherwell vs Celtic. Scottish Premiership.
Fir ParkAttendance8,639.
Match report as Celtic moved back to within two points of Scottish Premiership leaders Rangers; Brendan Rodgers' side came from a goal down to complete a 3-1 victory at Fir Park against Motherwell; stoppage-time goals from Adam Idah and Luis Palma sealed a dramatic Celtic victory
Monday 26 February 2024 07:06, UK
Celtic scored twice in stoppage time as Brendan Rodgers' side came from behind to beat Motherwell 3-1 to keep their Scottish Premiership title hopes alive.
After Rangers' 5-0 win over Hearts on Saturday, Brendan Rodgers' side knew they needed a response, but were punished for a lacklustre first-half display when Blair Spittal whipped the ball beyond the diving Joe Hart and into the far corner in the 43rd minute to give the hosts a deserved lead just before half time.
However, Celtic were much improved after the break and substitute Adam Idah, who replaced Kyogo Furuhashi at half-time, made an instant impact, heading Greg Taylor's cross past Liam Kelly for the equaliser in the 51st minute.
Daizen Maeda spurned two big opportunities before Liam Scales forced Kelly into action as Celtic pushed for a winner.
With time running out, Idah poked home to complete the turnaround (90+4) and spark wild celebrations in the away end before Luis Palma (90+6) made sure of what could prove to be a crucial three points in the title race.
Celtic move back to within two points of leaders Rangers and this title race looks set to go down to the wire.
Celtic were slow out of the blocks at Fir Park with Sky Sports' Chris Sutton describing Rodgers' side's opening 20-minute performance as 'hesitant' and 'tentative'.
The visitors high line was almost undone as early as the third minute when Theo Bair got in behind before cutting back past Liam Scales and producing a cool low finish under Joe Hart. However, the offside flag was raised with VAR confirming the decision to be correct to let Celtic off the hook.
It was a warning sign for Celtic, who dominated possession in the opening 45 minutes but rarely threatened the Motherwell goal. Liam Kelly had only one real save to make when he denied Kyogo from close range.
Celtic's sloppy first-half performance was eventually punished as Motherwell took a deserved lead just before the break. 17-year-old Lennon Miller bamboozled the Celtic defence with a lovely turn before setting up Spittal, who produced a fantastic first-time strike beyond Hart and into the far corner to shock Celtic.
At the break, Rodgers responded by bringing Idah on for Furuhashi, who appeared to hurt his troublesome shoulder late in the first half. The Irishman made an instant impact, getting a run on Dan Casey to meet Taylor's cross and power a header home from 12 yards.
The goal did not initially shift the momentum, though. Hart pulled off a brilliant stop from Miller's header and Vale threatened twice, the second time when tackling the Celtic goalkeeper, who was relieved to see the ball go wide.
But the champions began to exert more pressure. Cameron Carter-Vickers came off the bench to add assurance to the Celtic defence and fellow substitute Hyun-Jun Yang was causing far more problems for the home team than the man he replaced, Nicolas Kuhn.
Liam Scales had a header saved, Daizen Maeda failed to get any of three chances on target and O'Riley saw a shot charged down by the Motherwell wall after Calum Butcher had hauled Idah to the ground after being turned on the edge of the box.
Willie Collum booked the Motherwell player and stuck to his decision despite being called to the monitor for a potential red-card review.
The pressure grew and Idah got ahead of his marker to convert Johnston's low cross before Palma tapped home Yang's ball across the face of goal to round off an important win for Celtic.
Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers to Sky Sports:
"We played much better second-half, for sure. I think the first half there was a wee bit of anxiety at the beginning, and we weren't connecting the game well enough. The passes were too long and too easy to cut out, so we weren't quite in flow. We conceded a poor goal from a throw-in.
"But I said to the players at half-time, 'Listen, just relax, we just play our game. We just have to shorten the passes, connect the game', and so much credit to the guys I thought they were absolutely brilliant in the second half and scored three and could have had one or two more, so I'm really pleased."
On the impact made by substitute Idah: "I thought he would just give us a better reference. Obviously, it was quiet for Kyogo, but we lacked movement and then we lacked that link-up play in the game. He's a player that wants to run into depth, but I think this was a type of game where we're going to force them back and we needed someone to set the game up as well as run in behind. Adam came in and he was outstanding."
On Celtic only playing for 45 minutes: "It's been like that for a bit of this season, but I can't fault the players today. I think the response was terrific. I don't think Motherwell have been beaten too many times in the New Year, but we needed to show a really strong mentality in the second half and the players did that.
"I'm so proud for them because the stories are already written about the season and how it's going to finish, but we will write our own story."
On how crucial a win it could be for Celtic: "Time will tell after 38 games, but I think the focus is purely on one game at a time. We had a good week's training, we had to respond, and we never certainly had all our own way. Motherwell played well at times and make it difficult for you, but second-half the players were brilliant, responded so well but now we've got to recover from that and now we get a big game on Wednesday and just solely focus on that now."
Sky Sports' Chris Sutton at Fir Park:
"Relief for Brendan Rodgers! Relief for Celtic! No titles won just yet.
"Celtic did this the hard way. It's a big three points but Motherwell pushed them all the way.
"They didn't rock up in the first half, but they will just be believing after this late win.
"There will be a few twists to come yet in this title race.
"This is now about Celtic using this second-half performance as a catalyst for what's to come in the run-in because this will go right down to the wire."
Sky Sports' Kris Boyd at Fir Park:
"The most important thing for Celtic was coming to Motherwell and winning a game of football.
"If they were able to do it in style then that would be a bonus but winning was all that mattered.
"In the second half, with the chances they created, they should have been out of sight.
"But it is 45 minutes here or there for Celtic, at the moment. They are going to have to improve."
Motherwell boss Stuart Kettlewell to Sky Sports:
"I believe so, but I suppose I could argue the other way that if you don't do the things that you've done for 94 minutes and you switch off as we did do for the second goal, then we get what we deserve.
"I just thought that the players poured so much into the game. I thought that so much of what we did in and out of possession was excellent. First half you create the best chances and are rightfully ahead in the game.
"We're not here to say that we're in this game to try and get a point against Celtic. We're trying to win the game against Celtic and I think there was opportunities to do so today, but it's the second goal that really, really angers me.
"So frustrating for me when you pour so much into it, and you're almost saying that to the players, 94 minutes of being bang on it, understanding what the game's about and we switch off for that split-second."
Motherwell's next Scottish Premiership match is away to Livingston on Wednesday night, live on Sky Sports. Kick-off 8pm.
Celtic host Dundee on Wednesday night. That game kicks off at 7.45pm.
