Match Pictures | Matches: 2021 – 2022
Trivia
- KO: 15:00, Sunday
- Moved to Sunday due to UEFA Cup match past Thursday
- Celtic remain 4 points behind Sevco in the legaue title race.
- Ange appealed for fans’ backing in the face of the Green Brigade’s plan for another silent protest against proposed appointment of Bernard Higgins.
- Juranovic confirmed the players were a bit thrown by the silent protest. There was chat about it in the dressing room after the game.
- Callum McGregor wearing the captain’s rainbow armband for the LGBTQ+ Rainbow Laces campaign on behalf of Celtic’s support.
- Concerns that Covid restrictions on stadia will be brought back, already fans have to do certain checks before admittance in stadia.
- Forrest goes off injured, joins Gio, Kyogo, Jota and Jullien plus others on the treatment table.
- Former Celtic manager Ronny Deila completes post Celtic success as New York City are crowned MLS Cup champions their first MLS cup title. Congrats!
- Former Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers under the cosh at Leicester, having a rough season after a couple of great seasons beforehand. Good result today though for them 4-0 win v Newcastle.
- Celtic have expressed their dissatisfaction to the SFA over comments made by referees chief Crawford Allan in the wake of their 1-0 win over Hearts. Refers to his slanderous comments that Kyogo should be punished if he ‘continues to cheat’ officials!
- Politics: Julian Assange has moved closer to being extradited from the UK to the US, after the US government won the latest stage in its extradition bid. In January, a UK court ruled the Wikileaks founder could not be extradited due to concerns over his mental health. He is wanted in the US over the publication of thousands of classified documents in 2010 and 2011.
- Politics: UK PM underfire for multiple covid related breaches, over parties & so on.
- Covid: UK alert level raised to four due to Omicron spread
- Books: Legendary author Anne Rice dies, RIP
Summary
“A good win. Big shift put in by the lads and they worked really hard. Overall it was an important victory.” Ange Postecoglou 𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒄𝒉
Motherwell manager Graham Alexander:
“Generally speaking I thought the ref was really good.” Baffling nonsense!!!
“We need to be a wee bit more clinical. We created plenty of chances to kill the game off.” David Turnbull
Deserved to win 3 or 4-1. MWell made it a tough first half but Celtic dominated the second. We missed a few sitters but winning goal a work of beauty. Strong defence again. Rogic magic at times.
Cameron Carter-Vickers has been a collosus in the heart of that Celtic defence today, Motherwell went to Celtic Park to have a go and with the game finely balanced all day nothing got past him, he’s fast become a massive player for Ange Postecoglou.
Twitter:
You’ll be hard pushed to see a worse refereeing performance than this in a game of football.
Good word for the Motherwell goalkeeper who had a very good game…. He made a save that was an incredible reflex save. Hart was also excellent too.
Fac: The fan groups sent another strong message to the Celtic board today. Their continued silence is deafening. It is now time that they come to the table, meet with supporter groups and resolve this matter. One thing is clear – Bernard Higgins will never be welcome at @CelticFC
@agentscotland: I’ll be amazed if Celtic get to the winter break unscathed in terms of points dropped, the squad is paper thin in terms of genuine quality & absolutely ravaged by injuries to key players at the moment, massive few weeks ahead which will dictate how the season will play out, IMO.
Teams
Celtic:
Formation 4-3-3
- 15Hart
- 88Juranovic
- 20Carter-Vickers
- 4Starfelt
- 3Taylor
- 18Rogic
- 6Bitton
- 42McGregor
- 11Abada
- 14Turnbull
- 49Forrest
Substituted forJohnstonat 18′minutes
- Substituted forRalstonat 78′minutes
Substitutes
- 16McCarthy
- 19Johnston
- 29Bain
- 30Shaw
- 52Henderson
- 56Ralston
- 57Welsh
Goals:
- Rogic (45’+3 minutes)
Assists:
- Turnbull (45’+3 minutes)
Motherwell
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Kelly
- 2O’Donnell
- 5Mugabi
- 3Carroll
- 19McGinley
- 16SlatteryBooked at 45mins
- Substituted forDonnellyat 73′minutes
- 6Maguire
- 27Goss
- 7Woolery
- Substituted forRobertsat 87′minutes
- 9van VeenBooked at 20mins
- Substituted forShieldsat 73′minutes
- 32Watt
Substitutes
- 12Fox
- 17Amaluzor
- 18Cornelius
- 22Donnelly
- 23Grimshaw
- 28Roberts
- 29Shields
Goals:
Assists:
Ref: Euan Anderson
Att:
Articles
- Match Report (see below)
Pictures
Match Links
Stats
- Possession
- Home71%
- Away29%
- Shots
- Home26
- Away9
- Shots on Target
- Home7
- Away1
- Corners
- Home10
- Away2
- Fouls
- Home10
- Away14
Articles
Celtic set unwanted Kyogo Furuhashi record straight and notch up key win over Motherwell
The significance of Celtic’s fraught 1-0 victory over a lively Motherwell wasn’t simply that it reduced the Premiership deficit over Rangers to four points for Ange Postecoglou’s men.
By Andrew Smith
Sunday, 12th December 2021, 5:34 pm
https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/celtic/celtic-set-unwanted-kyogo-furuhashi-record-straight-and-notch-up-key-win-over-motherwell-3491985
The absence of Kyogo Furuhashi, sidelined for an intermittent time with a hamstring injury sustained in midweek, put a different spin on the home success earned by a classy finish on the stroke of half-time by Tom Rogic.
Not only did the loss of the Japanese striker leave Postecoglou operating without a senior central striker – the Australian seeking to rotate David Turnbull, Rogic and James Forrest, only to lose the Scotland winger to a hamstring within 16 minutes.
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A different onus was placed on Celtic when shorn of Furuhashi, their top scorer with 14 goals this season. That is because for every one of the five league encounters Celtic had previously dropped points, the 26-year-old did not start through the middle.
The electric performer, as with hamstring-sidelined Jota, was certainly missed. But Celtic came through what might be considered a psychological barrier, even if doing so without any particular pizzazz in contest during which Graham Alexander’s men got at them for a concerted period in the opening 45 minutes.
A disputed foul in the added seconds of that period resulted in the key moment, the Motherwell manager earning a yellow card for going berserk that referee Euan Anderson elected to pull up Callum Slattery for diving in on Rogic on the right channel. What followed was indisputably supreme, though, Turnbull picking out the Australian just inside the box and so allowing the 29-year-old to demonstrate a God-given technique and touch, meeting the ball with perfection to side-foot it high into the right-hand corner of Liam Kelly’s net.
Motherwell, daring to operate with a mobile, pushing-on front three, had never allowed Celtic’s centre-back pairing of Carl Starfelt and Cameron Carter-Vickers to appear comfortable till that point. Certainly, the encounter could have been altogether different had Forrest not sent the ball just wide of the upright when sent in on the Motherwell keeper only four minutes in. But, when the visitors didn’t yield in that moment or after further Celtic pressure, they began to exert their own. Joe Hart had to be relieved to see a long-range drive from Slattery smack the crossbar only 13 minutes in. Then midway through the first period the former English international produced a stonking block from Sean Goss, the Celtic goal also remaining intact across a mighty scramble.
To their credit, Postecoglou’s men stabilised after the interval, and largely snuffed out opponents who had sparked dangerously, as they passed up several opportunities of their own.
Yet, overall, the pattern of the contest spoke once more to an odd difficulty that Celtic are experiencing in their home environs as this title race has developed. For all their possession and goal attempts forever far outstrips those they have been entertaining domestically, across their past six home Premiership assignments, Celtic have only netted seven times. At full-time, relief rippled all around the home stands that one such moment was enough for them with no Furuhashi to call upon.
BBC
By Andrew PetrieBBC Sport Scotland
Last updated on
1 hour ago1 hour ago.From the section Scottish Premiership
James Forrest
James Forrest was lost to injury in the first half for Celtic
Celtic maintained a four-point gap behind Scottish Premiership leaders Rangers as Tom Rogic’s strike earned a narrow home win over Motherwell.
The Australian steered in a well-crafted set-piece move after the hosts had to weather a first-half storm of pressure from Graham Alexander’s men.
Celtic took control in the second half but were made to hang on during a nervy finale at Celtic Park.
Motherwell slip to fifth on goal difference.
While the win keeps Celtic’s momentum going, Ange Postecoglou lost yet another player to injury with winger James Forrest going off in the first half.
Reaction & how it happened
The pre-match build-up centred around one key question – how would Postecoglou conquer Celtic’s striking conundrum?
His attack have hardly been lacking goals – quite the opposite in truth – but with Kyogo Furuhashi, Jota, Albian Ajeti and Giorgos Giakoumakis out, it left the Celtic manager without a glaring alternative.
David Turnbull was the card Postecoglou would play – at first. The midfielder started as a false nine, but rotated heavily with Forrest, Liel Abada and Rogic in the role.
Forrest didn’t remain part of that fluid foursome for long, with the winger succumbing to injury in the 18th minute.
It took the hosts a while to find their rhythm in this new formation and, in the first-half, Motherwell almost made them pay.
Callum Slattery rattled the bar with a sumptuous left-foot strike, while both Tony Watt and Kevin van Veen had penalty claims waved away by referee Euan Anderson.
Celtic dealt with this pressure, though, and delivered a crushing blow when Rogic swept home as Motherwell’s defence failed to react to Turnbull’s cute cut-back.
Well boss Alexander was far from pleased with the award of the free-kick and the timing just before the break had an impact on his team.
Celtic emerged from the tunnel with renewed vigour, on the hunt for a second which, somehow, would not come.
Rogic should have made it two when he was delicately threaded the ball by Turnbull, but was denied by a brilliant Liam Kelly stop.
In the next phase of play, Abada crashed a free header off the crossbar from six yards, although he was flagged offside. That trio continued to menace, with all three testing the Motherwell keeper throughout the second-half, but the lead would remain at just one.
Man of the Match: Tom Rogic
Tom Rogic
A moment of magic was needed to break the deadlock and Tom Rogic delivered
What did we learn?
Postecoglou’s coy pre-match response regarding strikers hinted at Celtic’s striker-less formation. At least he didn’t claim it was a 4-6-0.
Add to that, a Motherwell side playing with confidence, with three wins from their last five, it was a seemingly perfect cocktail for a scare at Celtic Park.
Celtic have only conceded two at home in the league this season, though, and Alexander’s men could not find a way to change the usual narrative.
The Steelmen simply ran out of steam, morale deflated at the timing of the goal, which came at the end of a half in which they had equalled their hosts.
What they said
Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou: “We certainly had opportunities to make it more comfortable. When you don’t take those opportunities you always give the opposition a chance to hang in there.
“We still handled it fairly well. It was an important victory for us in the middle of a pretty congested schedule.
“It’s another challenge for us but I’ve had challenges since I walked through the door. There’s no point crying about it or moaning about it.
Motherwell boss Graham Alexander: “I thought it was a really cheap decision, the free-kick. Those challenges go on all over the pitch and it would be stop-start if you give a free-kick for every one of them.
“I’m really proud of my players. We gave it everything.”
What next?
Celtic face a gruelling midweek trip to Dingwall on Wednesday to face Ross County (19:45 GMT) before the League Cup final on Sunday against Hibernian (15:00).
Meanwhile, Motherwell host St Johnstone next Saturday (15:00) in their final game before Christmas.
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Match ends, Celtic 1, Motherwell 0.
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Full Time
Second Half ends, Celtic 1, Motherwell 0.
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Anthony Ralston (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Tony Watt (Motherwell).
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Attempt missed. Liel Abada (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by David Turnbull.
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Offside, Motherwell. Jordan Roberts tries a through ball, but Tony Watt is caught offside.
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Substitution
Substitution, Motherwell. Jordan Roberts replaces Kaiyne Woolery.
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Offside, Motherwell. Barry Maguire tries a through ball, but Tony Watt is caught offside.
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Foul by Nir Bitton (Celtic).
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Stephen O’Donnell (Motherwell) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Foul by Carl Starfelt (Celtic).
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Tony Watt (Motherwell) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Attempt missed. Connor Shields (Motherwell) right footed shot from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Tony Watt.
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Foul by Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic).
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Connor Shields (Motherwell) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Attempt missed. Tomas Rogic (Celtic) left footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Josip Juranovic.
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Substitution
Substitution, Celtic. Anthony Ralston replaces Michael Johnston.
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Attempt missed. Tomas Rogic (Celtic) left footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Michael Johnston.
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Corner, Motherwell. Conceded by Carl Starfelt.
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Corner, Motherwell. Conceded by Carl Starfelt.
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Attempt missed. Connor Shields (Motherwell) header from the centre of the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Stephen O’Donnell with a cross.
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Substitution
Substitution, Motherwell. Connor Shields replaces Kevin van Veen.
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Substitution
Substitution, Motherwell. Liam Donnelly replaces Callum Slattery.
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Foul by David Turnbull (Celtic).
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Kaiyne Woolery (Motherwell) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Attempt missed. Callum McGregor (Celtic) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the right following a corner.
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Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Stephen O’Donnell.
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Hand ball by Sean Goss (Motherwell).
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Attempt saved. Greg Taylor (Celtic) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by David Turnbull.
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Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Liam Kelly.
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Attempt saved. Michael Johnston (Celtic) header from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Tomas Rogic with a cross.
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Foul by Michael Johnston (Celtic).
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Callum Slattery (Motherwell) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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David Turnbull (Celtic) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Foul by Bevis Mugabi (Motherwell).
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Attempt missed. Tomas Rogic (Celtic) right footed shot from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Liel Abada.
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Attempt saved. David Turnbull (Celtic) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Callum McGregor.
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Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Stephen O’Donnell.
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Josip Juranovic (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Barry Maguire (Motherwell).
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Callum McGregor (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Callum Slattery (Motherwell).
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Offside, Celtic. Liel Abada tries a through ball, but David Turnbull is caught offside.
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Hand ball by Kevin van Veen (Motherwell).
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Foul by Greg Taylor (Celtic).
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Callum Slattery (Motherwell) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Carl Starfelt (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Kevin van Veen (Motherwell).
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Attempt missed. Michael Johnston (Celtic) right footed shot from the left side of the box is too high. Assisted by Callum McGregor following a corner.
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Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Stephen O’Donnell.
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Attempt blocked. Greg Taylor (Celtic) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Liel Abada.
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Attempt missed. Barry Maguire (Motherwell) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right.
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Offside, Celtic. David Turnbull tries a through ball, but Liel Abada is caught offside.
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Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Liam Kelly.
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Attempt saved. Tomas Rogic (Celtic) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by David Turnbull.
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Second Half
Second Half begins Celtic 1, Motherwell 0.
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Half Time
First Half ends, Celtic 1, Motherwell 0.
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Goal!
Goal! Celtic 1, Motherwell 0. Tomas Rogic (Celtic) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the top left corner. Assisted by David Turnbull following a set piece situation.
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Booking
Callum Slattery (Motherwell) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Michael Johnston (Celtic) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Foul by Callum Slattery (Motherwell).
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Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Sean Goss.
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Attempt blocked. Josip Juranovic (Celtic) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Tomas Rogic.
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Foul by Greg Taylor (Celtic).
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Kaiyne Woolery (Motherwell) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Attempt missed. David Turnbull (Celtic) right footed shot from long range on the left misses to the left. Assisted by Callum McGregor.
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Attempt missed. Michael Johnston (Celtic) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the left.
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Tomas Rogic (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Jake Carroll (Motherwell).
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Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Liam Kelly.
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Attempt saved. David Turnbull (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
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Attempt saved. Liel Abada (Celtic) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Michael Johnston.
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Attempt blocked. Tomas Rogic (Celtic) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Callum McGregor.
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Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Stephen O’Donnell.
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Attempt blocked. Liel Abada (Celtic) left footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by David Turnbull.
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Michael Johnston (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Tony Watt (Motherwell).
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Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Post update
Foul by Kevin van Veen (Motherwell).
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Attempt missed. Michael Johnston (Celtic) right footed shot from the left side of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Carl Starfelt.
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Hand ball by Michael Johnston (Celtic).
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Attempt blocked. Michael Johnston (Celtic) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Callum McGregor.
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Offside, Motherwell. Sean Goss tries a through ball, but Tony Watt is caught offside.
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Attempt saved. Sean Goss (Motherwell) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
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Attempt blocked. Kaiyne Woolery (Motherwell) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked.
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Tomas Rogic (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Bevis Mugabi (Motherwell).
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Attempt missed. Michael Johnston (Celtic) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by David Turnbull with a cross following a corner.
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Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Bevis Mugabi.
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Attempt blocked. Kevin van Veen (Motherwell) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Stephen O’Donnell with a cross.
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Booking
Kevin van Veen (Motherwell) is shown the yellow card.
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Post update
Offside, Motherwell. Tony Watt tries a through ball, but Kevin van Veen is caught offside.
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Post update
Attempt blocked. Tony Watt (Motherwell) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
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Substitution
Substitution, Celtic. Michael Johnston replaces James Forrest because of an injury.
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Post update
Foul by David Turnbull (Celtic).
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Kaiyne Woolery (Motherwell) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Attempt blocked. Tomas Rogic (Celtic) left footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Callum McGregor.
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Post update
Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Jake Carroll.
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Callum Slattery (Motherwell) hits the bar with a left footed shot from outside the box.
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Attempt missed. Josip Juranovic (Celtic) right footed shot from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Tomas Rogic.
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Post update
Foul by Nir Bitton (Celtic).
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Kaiyne Woolery (Motherwell) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Carl Starfelt (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Post update
Foul by Kevin van Veen (Motherwell).
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Post update
Attempt blocked. Tomas Rogic (Celtic) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Josip Juranovic.
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Post update
Attempt missed. Callum Slattery (Motherwell) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Nathan McGinley with a cross.
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Attempt missed. James Forrest (Celtic) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the right.
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Joe Hart (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Kaiyne Woolery (Motherwell).
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Kick Off
First Half begins.
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Lineups are announced and players are warming up.