Liel Abada scored a brace to help Celtic produce one of the comprehensive football results of the midweek action in the Premier Sports Cup. Abada returned to the lineup after James Forrest scored a hat-trick against Hibernian, and the winger scored twice before halftime after both teams had squandered excellent opportunities. The 21-year-old then assisted Reo Hatate to score after a fantastic display of talent, and when his shot hit the post, Kyogo Furuhashi was able to complete the play with ease. 8,370 people made it through the 6.15 pm kickoff time that the sponsors insisted upon in order to show Celtic and Rangers back-to-back on the same evening.
While Motherwell got Blair Spittal and Connor Shields back from injury and suspension, respectively, Forrest was one of five players leaving the lineup that began Saturday’s 6-1 victory. Stuart McKinstry was open at the back post as Motherwell had an early opportunity to attack, but Shields mishit the cross. Despite appearing to be offside before hitting the underside of the bar from 22 yards, Furuhashi missed a sitter from six yards. Abada’s header was saved by Liam Kelly after making a recovery.
Motherwell kept taking risks as they pressed Celtic high up the field with their four offensive players. They ran the risk of being exposed at the back, but Kelly made some excellent saves against Aaron Mooy and Furuhashi. It occasionally resulted in rewards as well. Shields’ perseverance set up McKinstry for a great opportunity, but he missed it by cutting wide from six yards, and Sean Goss, who intercepted a pass from Matt O’Riley from 30 yards out, pushed Benjamin Siegrist into a save.
Motherwell gave the fourth goal away to the opponents in the 76th minute when Goss and Lamie collided, setting up Abada for the substitute Daizen Maeda. Furuhashi scored on the rebound after the winger struck the inside of the goal post. The home crowd made a few half-hearted penalty appeals in the second half, but several of them would have left early as Celtic cantered home and would have returned home by 8 o’clock.
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