Celtic returned to the top of the William Hill Premiership with a 2-0 win over Motherwell at Fir Park, ending a run of three straight defeats. Goals from Camilo Duran and Benjamin Nygren earned the points, and winger Jota made his first appearance after almost 18 months out with cruciate ligament damage.
The result eased some of the pressure that had built on Martin O’Neill’s side during a three-week international break, which followed a home defeat by Rangers. Supporters and the Celtic board clashed again during that spell, and there was uncertainty over the manager’s future. Rangers had moved top a day earlier, but Celtic went back above them and have now won seven of their eight league games this season.
Duran opened the scoring in the ninth minute. He cut in from the right and tried a one-two with Nygren, and a touch from Motherwell’s Dylan Levitt sent the ball back into his path before his low 19-yard strike went in off goalkeeper Alex Paulsen’s left-hand post. Longelo cleared another Duran effort off the line moments later. Paulsen was in inspired form, twice denying new Germany cap Mika Baur and stopping Sebastian Tounekti before the break, then saving from Tounekti, Colby Donovan and Kieran Tierney early in the second half. Baur also struck the bar. Celtic’s second arrived in the 58th minute, when Kasper Hogh pounced on slack play from Stephen O’Donnell and set up Nygren, who skipped past Paulsen and finished high from a tight angle.
Both managers made three changes. Motherwell’s Alfred Johansson left last season’s top scorer Tawanda Maswanhise on the bench, while Celtic brought in Dane Murray, Tounekti and Hogh for Auston Trusty, Cameron Carter-Vickers and Luke McCowan. Jota came on in the 73rd minute for his 100th appearance for the club and was loudly applauded by the travelling fans. Before kick-off, Celtic supporters displayed a tifo for former player Danny McGrain following his Alzheimer’s diagnosis, and there was a minute’s applause for former Motherwell chairman Brian McCafferty, who died last month.
Unrest in the stands had not gone away. Some Celtic fans held up banners and sang against major shareholder Dermot Desmond, days after balaclava-clad supporters had thrown tennis balls in protest at him during the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in St Andrews. At the other end of the table picture, Motherwell supporters began leaving early as their side slipped to a fourth defeat in a row.
