Motherwell 2-0 Celtic: Post-match review, Stats, Key moments

Motherwell beat Celtic 2-0 in the Scottish Premiership. The home side took an early lead when Ibrahim Said scored in the 14th minute, assisted by Stephen O’Donnell, catching Celtic off guard despite the visitors’ recent wins against Livingston and Aberdeen. Motherwell held firm through the first half, building on their solid home form that included victories over Dundee and Livingston.

Celtic made three changes at half-time, with Arne Engels, Luke McCowan and Shin Yamada coming on, but Motherwell extended their lead through Elliot Watt in the 58th minute. The visitors picked up four yellow cards in quick succession, including bookings for Auston Trusty, Reo Hatate, Anthony Ralston and later Liam Scales, which disrupted their rhythm after recent setbacks like losses to Dundee United and Hearts. Motherwell managed the game well with late substitutions, securing a clean sheet and three points that boosted their push from a run of mixed results including a loss to Rangers.

Celtic edged possession with 57% compared to Motherwell’s 43%, showing they controlled more of the ball but failed to convert that into goals, while Motherwell looked efficient on the counter with 20 successful dribbles against Celtic’s 44. The visitors had three corners to Motherwell’s one, hinting at more attacking territory, yet they couldn’t break through, and their four yellow cards reflected a frustrated approach without any reds or injury-time drama.

Motherwell used four substitutions, including Callum Hendry replacing Elijah Just at 75 minutes and Emmanuel Longelo coming on for Oscar Priestman at 85, while Celtic made five changes starting with three at half-time like Arne Engels for Kieran Tierney. One assist was recorded for Motherwell, underlining their clinical edge, with no penalties taken by either side.

Motherwell struck first in the 14th minute as Ibrahim Said finished off a move assisted by Stephen O’Donnell, setting the tone for a defensive masterclass. The second goal came in the 58th minute from Elliot Watt, doubling the lead and putting Celtic on the back foot. Celtic’s discipline faltered with yellow cards to Auston Trusty at 52 minutes, Reo Hatate and Anthony Ralston both at 56, and Liam Scales at 74, which hampered their comeback efforts.

Half-time substitutions saw Celtic bring on Arne Engels for Kieran Tierney, Luke McCowan for Daizen Maeda, and Shin Yamada for Paulo Bernardo, followed by Colby Donovan replacing Anthony Ralston at 60 minutes and James Forrest for Hyun-jun Yang at 66. Motherwell made tactical switches later, with Callum Hendry on for Elijah Just at 75, Emmanuel Longelo for Oscar Priestman at 85, and Zander McAllister plus Luca Ross replacing Callum Slattery and Ibrahim Said in stoppage time.

Motherwell lined up in a 4-2-3-1 shape, with Ibrahim Said leading the line effectively after his early goal and Elliot Watt anchoring midfield to score the second. Stephen O’Donnell’s assist highlighted strong partnerships on the right, while late changes like Callum Hendry replacing Elijah Just and Emmanuel Longelo for Oscar Priestman helped maintain control.

Celtic deployed a 3-4-1-2 formation, relying on players like Reo Hatate in midfield, but yellow cards to him and others like Auston Trusty, Anthony Ralston and Liam Scales disrupted the flow. Half-time introductions of Arne Engels, Luke McCowan and Shin Yamada aimed to boost the attack, with further swaps like Colby Donovan for Anthony Ralston and James Forrest for Hyun-jun Yang seeking a spark.

Ibrahim Said earned Ladbrokes’ Man of the Match award for his decisive contribution, scoring one goal in the 14th minute while creating two key passes and no big chances, standing out as Motherwell’s main threat up front before being replaced by Luca Ross in stoppage time.

Recent Premiership matches:

• Win: 2-0 vs Celtic (H)
• Loss: 0-1 vs Rangers (A)
• Win: 1-0 vs Dundee (H)
• Draw: 0-0 vs Dundee United (A)
• Win: 3-0 vs Livingston (H)

Recent Premiership matches:

• Loss: 0-2 vs Motherwell (A)
• Win: 4-2 vs Livingston (A)
• Win: 3-1 vs Aberdeen (H)
• Loss: 1-2 vs Dundee United (A)
• Loss: 1-2 vs Hearts (H)

Motherwell have just secured a 2-0 win over Celtic, moving them to fourth on 33 points with a form guide showing three wins, one draw and one loss in their last five league games. They face St. Mirren next on 3 January 2026 at 15:00, with the opponents sitting 10th on 18 points, offering a chance to build momentum and chase European spots after this morale-boosting result.

Celtic have just suffered a 2-0 defeat to Motherwell, leaving them second on 38 points after a patchy run of two wins and three losses in their last five league outings. Their next fixture is against Rangers on 3 January 2026 at 12:30, with the rivals third on 35 points, making it a crucial clash to maintain their title challenge and bounce back from recent slips.

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Odds and market details are accurate as of the time of publication.