Celtic 3 Motherwell 0: Steelmen stay bottom of the Premiership after another defeat
The Hoops went with the same 11 that crashed out of the Champions League qualifiers to Hungarian side Ferencvaros in midweek, as star man Odsonne Edouard remained sidelined with a thigh injury.
It was the visitors who created the first real opening in nine minutes.
Liam Grimshaw’s strike from the edge of the box forced Celtic keeper Vasilis Barkas into a save down low.
He couldn’t hold onto the strike and had to contend with with Chris Long sliding in for the rebound, which was turned behind for a corner.
The Steelmen were holding firm at the back and the likes of Bevis Mugabi and Ricki Lamie restricted the hosts to long range efforts and aimless crosses into the box for much of the first half half.
Ryan Christie fired a free-kick over from distance midway through, but with the match edging towards half-time the Hoops broke the deadlock with their first shot on target in the 40th minute.
Callum McGregor’s superb pass picked out Forrest in space on the right and as he edged into the box, he fired a swerving strike past Carson to open the scoring.
On the stroke of half-time Watt was denied an equaliser by Barkas at the back post, after Stephen O’Donnell’s cross picked him out unmarked. The striker tried to squeeze the ball home from a tight angle, but his effort was turned behind.
Nine minutes into the second half Christie’s tantalising delivery across the face of goal just escaped Celtic substitute Patryk Klimala as the Steelmen breathed a sigh of relief.
Watt was replaced by Lang after 59 minutes as Stephen Robinson changed things up, looking to find a way back into the game.
Moments later Stephen O’Donnell mistimed an interception in the box and that allowed Greg Taylor to cross for Klimala, but the ball somehow escaped his grasp at the back post, just as it looked like he had an easy tap-in for 2-0.
Lamie made way for Jordan White in 69 minutes as Motherwell moved to two up top.
Liam Polworth chested the ball down 25-yards out and fired harmlessly wide of the target as the Steelmen started to get some joy.
But the Hoops finished Motherwell off in the 74th minute.
Kristopher Ajer’s pass caught Motherwell open and, with the defence caught napping, Ajeti had all the time in the world to take a touch and hammer the ball past Carson.
It almost got worse when Mugabi slipped in possession and allowed Klimala to go one-on-one with Carson, but the Northern Irishman stood up well to make a good save with his left boot.
In stoppage time, Jullien completed the scoring, latching on to Jeremie Frimpong’s pass and rolled the ball into the bottom corner to complete the scoring.
When Motherwell return from the international break, they host St Johnstone on September 12.
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