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Celtic turned on some of their best football of the season in a convincing win over Motherwell. Early on Hartson turned inside and his left foot shot was saved. Hartson had another chance after a penetrating run by Agathe and a cross from the right but he seemed to rush his header and put it wide. Paul Lambert was on the best of form and opened the scoring with one of the best worked goals of the season. He picked the ball up on the left and played a one-two with Hartson. Paul quickly knocked John's layoff to Larsson and sped on into the box on the right. Henrik took a touch and played a lovely back heel into Lambo's path which he swept home under the keeper. Motherwell were hardly in the game but McFadden pressured Crainey and drove into the box to win a corner.
Larsson was next to get a headed chance from a Hartson corner but he couldn't get enough power or direction on it and the keeper saved it comfortably. Celtic then had an amazing piece of pressure which the Motherwell goal somehow managed to survive. The ball was swept in from both left and right, Petrov had strike saved by the keeper and when the ball was sent in again Mjallby just failed to get on the end of it. McFadden at the other end seemed to have a clear opening in front of goal but completely missed his kick and on the 44th minute a ferocious strike from Strong from outside the box was held by Rab Douglas at the second attempt.
Celtic were still keen to score at the start of the second half and an Agathe run followed by a superb deep cross was met by Moravcik at the far post and brought out a good save from the keeper. On 52 minutes Henrik Larsson added a second for Celtic. He moved back off his marker and his powerful downward header from a Moravcik corner gave the keeper no chance. Things were looking bad for Motherwell but they got worse when Pearson's extremely late kick at Agathe was judged rightly by the ref as deserving a straight red card. John Hartson showed his pace as he latched on to a ball through the middle and was shaping to shoot when the keeper brought him down. Henrik despatched the penalty low to the keeper's left, sending him the wrong way. Henrik had a chance for a hat-trick a few moments later as a great ball from Lubo put him through on the keeper but his attempted chip lacked elevation and the keeper was able to reach it. Stan Petrov had a second super strike - a volley directly from a corner but the shot though powerful was near the keeper and he punched it away. He could do nothing about Mjallby's left foot volley a few minutes later from Stephen Crainie's overhead kick, the low drive beating him at his right hand side. Three more points needed for Celtic but for some at Fir Park the partying has already begun. Man of the match: for a special goal and an assured performance - Paul Lambert.CELTIC (3-5-2): Douglas; Mjallby, Boyd, Crainey; Guppy, Lambert (McNamara 68), Moravcik (Sylla 68), Petrov, Agathe (Smith 68); Hartson, Larsson. MOTHERWELL (3-5-2): Dubourdeau; Deloumeaux, Ready, Strong; Corrigan, Lasley, Soloy, Pearson, Hammell; Elliott (Adams 86), McFadden. |