Motherwell 1-3 Celtic: Late goal seals emotional return for Jota... but he isn't the only one back with a bang
Motherwell 1-3 Celtic: Late goal seals emotional return for Jota... but he isn't the only one back with a bang
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Celtic's need to find a suitable replacement for Kyogo Furuhashi before the transfer window closes at 11pm this evening scarcely needs explaining. Equally apparent, however, is that whoever is tasked with filling the Japanese star’s boots is not going to walk straight into Brendan Rodgers’ side. Having gone 14 games without a goal, Adam Idah looked like a player short on confidence and increasingly struggling to justify the gargantuan sum of money Celtic paid for him in the summer. What a difference five days makes.
![[Adam Idah rounds off a memorable week by netting Celtic's crucial second goal at Fir Park]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/02/02/22/94783157-0-image-a-148_1738534665598.jpg)
Scorer of a brace at Villa Park last Wednesday, a fine week for the Irishman concluded with another goal. This one knocked the stuffing out of Motherwell shortly after the home side had bounced back from conceding in the opening minute. Idah looks to be back on track and disinclined to relinquish his place to anyone. You had to feel a little sympathy for the man from Cork, though, after an excellent all-round contribution at Fir Park.
![[An emotional Jota takes the acclaim of Celtic fans after his goalscoring return to the club]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/02/02/22/94783175-0-image-m-152_1738534787452.jpg)
Jota completes the scoring with a stoppage-time strike in Celtic's 3-1 win against Motherwell. Adam Idah rounds off a memorable week by netting Celtic's crucial second goal at Fir Park. An emotional Jota takes the acclaim of Celtic fans after his goalscoring return to the club. Sat on the bench as the final few seconds ebbed away, he had his thunder stolen by the returning figure of Jota. The Portuguese won’t score many simpler goals in his career. He might do well to score one which felt so loaded with emotion.
Serenaded by the visiting supporters before he even took the field, his moment arrived to thunderous acclaim and some tears being wiped from the eye of the man who left for Saudi Arabia 18 months ago. It was a fine win for Celtic, a performance brimming with positives and star turns. On a day when so many of Rodgers’ players excelled, Daizen Maeda’s display probably topped the lot. A goal and two assists brings the winger to 16 and eight respectively this term. He’s having a truly scintillating season.
Celtic rarely looked in danger of allowing Rangers to eat into their 10-point lead at the top of the Premiership, which also sees them with a game in hand. Motherwell were competitive but limited. They could have absolutely no complaints about their winless run in all competitions extending to five games. In the absence of a replacement for Furuhashi, those Celtic fans in attendance had to make do with a first glimpse of Jota second time around.
The Portuguese began on the bench as expected. Anthony Ralston replaced the rested Alistair Johnston, with Luke McCowan in for Arne Engels. Life for Motherwell after Stuart Kettlewell began with first starts for Carlisle loanee Luke Armstrong and Dom Thompson, who joined this month from Blackpool. The home supporters’ hopes that a change of voice in caretaker Stephen Frail would bring about a change in fortunes lasted all of 53 seconds.
Celtic came flying out of the traps, passing with precision and purpose. Greg Taylor’s ball in behind had Motherwell floundering. Ralston advanced on the right and gathered. Thompson gave him far too much space. A deep cross still left Maeda with plenty to do. A dipping header back across goal ensured Ellery Balcombe’s first task of the afternoon was to retrieve the ball from the net. To stand any chance of recording a first win over Celtic in 34 attempts, Motherwell had to be brave on the ball and efficient in their use of it. On both counts, they fell short.
The service provided to Tawanda Maswanhise and Armstrong up top was poor. For 23 minutes, Callum McGregor’s 500th appearance in a Celtic jersey was far too comfortable from the home side’s perspective. Yet it was to be that rarest of occurrences — a cheap turnover in possession by the Celtic captain — which led to Motherwell squaring a game on which they were struggling to make any appreciable impact.
McGregor’s uncharacteristic error preceded a switch of play from right to left by the Steelmen, which saw Thompson charge forward. His cross should have been sent back from where it came by Auston Trusty. Instead, the ball bounced off the American’s shin. It was probably no bad thing for Armstrong that he had no time to think about it. He drilled the ball low into the corner to level. Cameron Carter-Vickers’ appeal for a foul on him by Armstrong fell on deaf ears.
Frail’s side had to get to half-time on level pegging in order to regroup. Their lead didn’t last beyond the half-hour mark. They were exposed by another incisive Celtic attack, the visitors’ one-touch passing freeing up Maeda to go in behind on the left. His cut-back had pace and accuracy. Idah steered it into the net on the volley. Frail shook his head in dismay. Handed an immediate chance to level the game again, Maswanhise pulled the ball beyond the far post.