19th March 2002


MOTHERWELL vs CELTIC


Motherwell 

0 – 4

Celtic


Scottish Premier League
Tuesday, March 19th, 2002
Fir Park. Att. 10,134

Goalscorers

Paul Lambert (10)
Henrik Larsson (53, 61 pen)
Johan Mjällby (78)

Lineups
François Dubourdeau
Martyn Corrigan
Greg Strong
Karl Ready
Stevie Hammell
Éric Deloumeaux
Keith Lasley
Stephen Pearson
Yann Soloy
Stuart Elliott
James McFadden
Rab Douglas
Tom Boyd
Stephen Crainey
Johan Mjällby
Steve Guppy
Paul Lambert
Ľubomír Moravčík
Stiliyan Petrov
Didier Agathe
John Hartson
Henrik Larsson

Bench
Stevie Woods
Dougie Ramsay
Roberto Martinez
David Ferrère
Derek Adams
Jonathan Gould
Jackie McNamara
Olivier Tébily
Jamie Smith
Momo Sylla

Substitutions
David Ferrère for Keith Lasley (58)
Derek Adams for Stuart Elliott (87)
Jackie McNamara for Paul Lambert (68)
Jamie Smith for Didier Agathe (68)
Momo Sylla for Ľubomír Moravčík (68)

Cautions
None. Steve Guppy

Red Cards
Stephen Pearson None.

Match Officials

Stuart Dougal (Referee)

Match Report

From BBC Sport

Celtic showed championship-winning form to comprehensively beat Motherwell at Fir Park.

Paul Lambert opened the scoring in 10 minutes with a wonderful goal involving John Hartson and Henrik Larsson.

Larsson scored twice early in the second half, once from the penalty spot, either side of a red card for Motherwell’s Stephen Pearson.

Johan Mjallby scored Celtic’s fourth and but for some bad luck and poor finishing by Hartson, Celtic might have had a few more.

Hartson had two early chances, the first a low drive from the edge of the penalty area that Francois DuBourdeau saved comfortably, the second a header that missed the target.

But the opening goal was only delayed a few minutes.

Lambert exchanged passes with Hartson before playing the ball into Larsson.

The Swede back-heeled the ball back into Lambert’s path and the Scotland captain slid the ball past the helpless Well keeper.

Larsson should have doubled the lead shortly afterwards when he found himself in space in the six-yard box, but his header was straight at DuBourdeau.

Celtic were piling pressure on the Motherwell defence and when DuBourdeau parried Petrov’s shot, Celtic had a number of efforts diverted away from goal.

Motherwell finally managed a shot on goal a minute before half-time when Greg Strong tested Rab Douglas from nearly 40 yards.

The Celtic keeper seemed to be taken by surprise by the dipping shot and gathered only at the second attempt.

The game was ended as a contest in the space of two second-half minutes.

Beautiful volley

First, Larsson gave Celtic a two-goal lead in the 53rd minute with a front-post header from a corner.

Then, Stephen Pearson needlessly hacked down Agathe well after the ball had been released and referee Stuart Dougal showed Pearson a straight red card.

Celtic went three up shortly afterwards when Hartson burst into the penalty area and was brought down by DuBourdeau.

Larsson stepped up to send the keeper the wrong way from the spot.

Petrov almost made it four with a beautifully struck volley from Moravick’s corner, but DuBourdeau punched round the post.

The fourth goal did arrive in 78 minutes after Motherwell failed to clear another corner.

Crainey lobbed a hopeful ball over his head and Mjalby hit a powerful left-foot volley past DuBourdeau from just inside the box.

Hartson should have made it five in 81 minutes but he hit his shot just wide.

The Welshman did have the ball in the net a minute later but he was ruled offside.

Facts

Goalkeeper François Dubourdeau makes his debut for the club.

Highlights