Luke McCowan marked his first start for Celtic with a goal, helping his team reclaim the Premiership’s top spot in a decisive 3-0 win over 10-man Motherwell.
Celtic, eager to bounce back after last week’s draw with Aberdeen, faced an early challenge as Motherwell hit the woodwork twice through Lennon Miller. But McCowan’s low shot gave the Hoops the lead and set the tone for the match.
Although Daizen Maeda’s goal was ruled out for handball and a penalty was denied after Stephen O’Donnell’s challenge, Celtic remained dominant. Alistair Johnston, captaining in Callum McGregor’s absence, doubled the lead with a header from Alex Valle’s cross, further securing the win.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers praised the team’s efforts:
“It was a very good performance, a very good win for us. Second half, obviously, we said it at half-time that we needed to switch the ball playing against their 5-3-2 system. You always have to be mindful against Stuart [Kettlewell] and his team; they are very organised and talented players, gifted players that can hurt you.
But second half, right from the first whistle really, we controlled the game, we managed the game really, really well and it should have been more comfortable but it’s great credit to the players.”
On McCowan’s contribution, Rodgers added:
“The reason to bring him in is because we know he has got those goals in him. His attitude, energy, and professionalism are superb. He deserved his start, and it was a really, really good finish. We saw that at Dundee, we’ve seen it in training, and I’m really happy for him.”
With this victory, Celtic now lead the Premiership on goal difference, while Motherwell remains in fifth place.
- Venue: Fir Park
- 8,692.