Scottish Premiership Tuesday, December 30, 2025 Fir Park, Motherwell MOTHERWELL…2 (Said 14 & Watt 58) CELTIC…0 Celtic ended 2025 with a difficult defeat at Fir Park, as goals from Ibrahim Said and Elliot Watt gave the Steelmen their first victory over the Hoops since 2015. Wilfried Nancy made four changes from the entertaining affair in West Lothian on Saturday, citing freshness, with a possible eye on Saturday’s Glasgow derby in the New Year. Kasper Schmeichel returned in goal, with Liam Scales, Paulo Bernardo and Reo Hatate also coming back into the starting XI. From the early exchanges it was clear that Jens Berthel Askou was not going to let his side sit off the champions, although Celtic did get an early sight of goal. A well-worked move ended with Anthony Ralston picking out Yang in the box, but his looping header drifted over. It was the home side who drew first blood after 14minutes. From a throw-in, Stephen O’Donnell delivered a superb cross on to the head of Said, and the Nigerian forward, peeling off the shoulder of Auston Trusty, nodded beyond Schmeichel. Motherwell then threatened to double their advantage. Elijah Just wriggled on to the ball and shaped a curling effort with his left foot. It had Schmeichel beaten, but drifted just wide of the far post. Bernardo then had a chance to deliver into the Motherwell area in a first half dominated by the Steelmen, but his free-kick failed to beat the first man and allowed the hosts to break. Said overcooked his pass to Just, but the Kiwi still almost managed to pop the ball in, only for Kieran Tierney to produce an important block. Celtic went into the dressing room a goal down after a sobering opening 45 minutes.The Celtic manager looked to his bench at half-time, bringing on Luke McCowan, Shin Yamada and Arne Engels in place of Tierney, Bernardo and Daizen Maeda. However, it was Askou’s side who again looked the more dangerous. Yang was caught in possession and Just drove into the Celtic box, forcing a save from Schmeichel. Moments later he was at it again, with Schmeichel producing another excellent stop, although the flag was raised on the far side. Celtic did register their first effort on target five minutes after the restart. Benjamin Nygren slipped the ball into the path of Shin inside the box, and the Japanese striker got a low right-footed shot away, but it was saved by Calum Ward. Motherwell made it two just before the hour mark, and it came from a Celtic error. Schmeichel’s pass towards Engels was cut out by Just, whose initial effort was blocked, but Watt was on hand to sweep home. Celtic pushed to get back into the contest and, in the 79th minute, were denied by a superb save from Ward. Nygren looked to have curled into the top corner, only for the Englishman to tip it wide, earning a standing ovation from the Fir Park crowd. It was not to be for the Hoops, who now have only a few days to regroup before Saturday’s Glasgow derby at Celtic Park to kick-off 2026.FixturesMotherwell Vs. Celtic – Tue, Dec 30th 2025, 20:00
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