Celtic vs Motherwell. Scottish Premiership.
Celtic Park.
Report and highlights to follow from Celtic's 2-1 Scottish Premiership victory over Motherwell; Stephen Walsh and Odsonne Edouard scored for the Hoops; Neil Lennon's men were made to sweat after Allan Campbell pulled one back for the visitors
Sunday 7 February 2021 10:53, UK
Stephen Welsh's first goal for Celtic helped the Hoops to a deserved 2-1 victory over Motherwell.
The 21-year-old defender headed in from a corner after two minutes and in-form striker Odsonne Edouard fired in a second in the 51st minute of a Scottish Premiership match which was almost totally controlled by Neil Lennon's side until they conceded.
Well midfielder Allan Campbell reduced the deficit in the 66th minute with a drive and the home side survived an added-time surge by the visitors with substitute Diego Laxalt clearing off the line.
Following a convincing 4-0 win at Kilmarnock on Tuesday night, Celtic have won two successive games for the first time in 2021 and move 20 points behind Rangers with a game in hand.
The unchanged visitors arrived on the back of back-to-back wins but they soon found themselves in a Celtic stranglehold.
Celtic, with midfielder Tom Rogic in for injured Ryan Christie, scored from their first corner when former Well midfielder David Turnbull's delivery was met by the unmarked Welsh, who powered his header past goalkeeper Liam Kelly from eight yards.
Moments later, the reigning champions could and probably should have doubled their lead when left-back Greg Taylor picked out Edouard with a perfect cross but the French forward glanced a header wide from in front of goal.
Taylor set up Albian Ajeti with another fine cross but Kelly caught the Switzerland striker's weak header under his bar before blocking an angled-drive from right-back Jonjoe Kenny.
Motherwell were well off the pace, reduced mostly to chasing and harrying to try to contain the energetic home side.
In the 44th minute the Lanarkshire side had a chance when Celtic defender Kristoffer Ajer fouled Chris Long on the edge of the box but the Motherwell forward's curling free-kick was well held by the previously untested Hoops 'keeper Scott Bain.
Within seconds of the restart, Edouard took a Taylor pass, turned and fired wide, then Ajeti headed into the arms of Kelly.
However, the Well 'keeper had no chance moments later when, with the Motherwell goal under siege again, midfielder Callum McGregor played in Edouard who turned and drove a low shot into the corner of the net for his fifth goal in four games and his 17th of the season.
Then a brief period of Motherwell positivity proved significant.
Bain was called into action in the 63rd minute when he stopped a shot from Well striker Devante Cole with his foot, and from the resulting corner an unmarked Bevis Mugabi headed wide.
However, three minutes later Motherwell found themselves back in the game when Campbell's shot from the edge of the box looped over Bain and into the net.
It was an unlikely lifeline for the visitors and introduced some jeopardy into the game.
In the 76th minute Cole got his head on a Long cross but could not direct it towards goal and amid some panic in the Hoops defence the danger was averted.
At the other end, Kelly tipped a powerful drive from Rogic over the bar as Celtic regained the upper hand.
But in the final seconds - after Cole was perhaps lucky only to get a yellow card for a kick out at Hoops substitute Ismaila Soro - Well substitute Harry Smith directed a header towards goal only to see it hooked away by Laxalt.
Celtic boss Neil Lennon: "It's a great header [from Welsh] but the delivery from Turnbull is superb. It's a facet of our game that has improved with David - Scott Brown's goal on Tuesday, Mo Elyounoussi's a few weeks ago at Livingston. It was another great delivery today and you know when it leaves his foot that any contact at all and it could be a goal. That's a real asset he's brought to the squad.
"I thought he came off it a wee bit towards the latter end of the second half, but he's been outstanding, great signing, great professional. He's brought goals, assists and a bit of flair to the team, so really pleased with his contribution. I thought we were really good in the first half and even in the second half, it was some of the best football this season."
Motherwell boss Graham Alexander: "Once we got the goal back I thought we had them on the rack. We had them putting clearances out, slashing at stuff, clearing balls off the line and we went for it, so credit to the players. I thought they were exceptional today because we know what a tough ask it is coming here, but they stuck to the game plan and we were a couple of millimetres short of getting a valuable point."
On Laxalt's last-gasp clearance, he said: "I was hoping it was over the line. To be honest, I spoke to the linesman and he said he was in line and I have seen it since and he got it spot on. I don't think it was over the line. We were close to winning a penalty as well and I have seen that and the referee has made the right shout. It is fine margins that have done us today with the result."
