CELTIC 4 MOTHERWELL 0: Boxing Day 2024
THE champions had to wait until a minute before the interval to claim the breakthrough goal they had threatened to score right from the kick-off.
Arne Engels nonchalantly rolled his effort from 12 yards past keeper Aston Oxborough to get the show on the road and the carnival atmosphere carried on throughout the second period with further strikes from Daizen Maeda, Nicolas Kuhn and Reo Hatate.
It was a Boxing Day of celebration as Brendan Rodgers’ men claimed three more points in a convincing win as they prepared to bring down the curtain on action in Paradise for 2024.
WATCHING BRIEF…Brendan Rodgers maintains his concentration on the touchline.
The opener came after Yang Hyun-jun had been sent crashing in the box after a wayward challenge from the outrushing keeper.
The referee didn’t hesitate as he pointed to the spot and – following the inevitable VAR check – Engels stepped up to roll the award into the right-hand corner of the net as the netminder took off in the opposite direction.
In the 57th minute, the hosts doubled their advantage following a wonderfully-worked left-wing corner-kick.
Engels whipped in a cross to the near post, Liam Scales got a touch to flick the ball on and Maeda came racing in at speed to thump a header into the net past the stranded Oxborough.
Six minutes later, Hatate, Kuhn and Kyogo Furuhashi were introduced to proceedings as they replaced Paulo Bernardo, Yang and Adam Idah.
SPOT ON…Arne Engels celebrates another penalty-kick success with delighted team-mate Daizen Maeda about to add his congratulations.
In the 72nd minute, Engels made way for Luke McCowan just moments after whipping a 25-yard free-kick just over the bar.
Three minutes later, Kuhn’s ambition was rewarded when he snapped onto a pass inside from the right, lined up a left-wing drive from 30 yards and his low left-foot shot took a wicked deflection off a defender to leave the keeper helpless.
Alex Valle was next into the fray as the Spaniard took over from Greg Taylor in the 79th minute.
In the 81st minute, Hatate added a fourth after some superb lead-up play from Maeda, Kyogo and Valle and the Japanese international midfielder finished off the excellent work with a sizzling low 25-yard effort past the sprawling keeper.
TEAM: Schmeichel; Ralston, Carter-Vickers, Scales, Taylor (sub: Valle 79); Bernardo (63), McGregor, Engels (sub: McCowan 72); Yang (sub: Kuhn 63), Idah (sub: Kyogo 63) and Maeda.
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