Motherwell 0-2 Celtic

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers hands the League Cup to captain Scott Brown — Brendan Rodgers is the first Celtic boss in 47 years to win four domestic trophies in a row

Brendan Rodgers became the first Celtic boss since Jock Stein to win four domestic trophies in a row as his side retained the Scottish League Cup.

Motherwell held their own until James Forrest curled an excellent shot into the far corner shortly after the break.

Celtic's Craig Gordon saved superbly from a Louis Moult header.

But 'Well's hopes ended when Cedric Kipre was controversially sent off for a brush with Scott Sinclair, and Moussa Dembele rolled in the penalty.

Motherwell, whose only League Cup triumph came in 1950, looked capable of recording their first win over the Glasgow side in six national cup finals until Forrest struck his third goal in three League Cup final appearances.

And, once Kipre was dismissed and the penalty dispatched, Stephen Robinson's side never looked like preventing last season's Treble-winners clocking up a 65th domestic game without defeat and their 17th victory in their 32nd League Cup final.

Celtic's James Forrest curls in the opening goal — James Forrest curled in the opening goal for Celtic at Hampden

For 45 minutes, this final was a battle, a dour struggle full of heavy tackles, misplaced passes, no rhythm and no semblance of anything that might have lifted you off your seat.

Motherwell wanted it that way. They sought to frustrate and stay alive. They hustled and harried Celtic, forcing the Premiership leaders into mistake upon mistake.

It lacked quality and composure but not passion and aggression. In the grind, Kipre was lucky to avoid a card when he went over the top on Dembele.

The striker then responded by going in over the top on Carl McHugh but was not so lucky. He got booked and things carried on; Motherwell concentrating hard and annoying the life out of the favourites.

They got to half-time in good heart. Celtic's go-to men in attack were diminished.

Dembele was unthreatening, Sinclair was hesitant, Stuart Armstrong was nowhere near as involved as you might have expected. Forrest looked dangerous, Callum McGregor had his moments, but they were pretty much on their own.

Referee Craig Thomson sends off Motherwell defender Cedric Kipre — Cedric Kipre (centre) was sent off after 58 minutes

In Motherwell's manual on how to neutralise Celtic, chapter one was complete, but they never got particularly far into chapter two. Four minutes into the new half, they buckled and Forrest took advantage.

When Charles Dunne and Peter Hartley gave the winger some space to have a pop with his left foot, Forrest was emphatic, his shot curling around the despairing dive of Trevor Carson and into the far corner.

It unlocked the final - with the spirit of the late Motherwell and Celtic midfielder Phil O'Donnell hanging in the air - and it sent Celtic on their merry way.

They had one scare before they kicked for home and had to rely on Gordon making a wondrous reflex save from a Moult header, but as soon as that moment had passed, they went about nailing down their victory.

Dembele should have made it two with a free header that went wide, but the striker would double the advantage within minutes. It was cruel on Motherwell, a decision that infuriated them.

The Frenchman played a lovely ball in behind the Motherwell defence to Sinclair, who fell to the floor. What made him tumble was a gentle hand on his jersey by Kipre, an act Sinclair milked for all it was worth.

The penalty call was bad enough, but when the defender was red-carded on the back of it, Motherwell were sickened and sunk. Dembele went down the middle from the spot - and scored.

Moussa Dembele scores — Moussa Dembele secured Celtic's win from the penalty spot

The traffic headed just one way after that. Carson saved from Armstrong then beat away a Leigh Griffiths free-kick before having a post get in the way of the latter adding a third goal.

They had more chances. Motherwell hit a post with a terrific Moult free-kick right at the end and that was that.

Celtic basked in the glory of a fourth successive domestic trophy under Rodgers.

It would take a brave - or daft - person to bet against them making it five and six in the months ahead.

One day their run will end. Not even the world's finest fortune-teller could tell you when that day might be though. They remain Scotland's untouchables.

Line-ups
Match Stats
Live Text

Line-ups

Motherwell

1Carson
7Cadden
21KipreBooked at 58mins
6HartleyBooked at 90mins
18Dunne
2Tait
4GrimshawSubstituted forTannerat 51'minutes
8McHughBooked at 54mins
15RoseSubstituted forFrearat 70'minutes
12BowmanSubstituted forCampbellat 64'minutesBooked at 74mins
9Moult

Substitutes

3Hammell
11Frear
13Griffiths
17Fisher
20Petravicius
22Campbell
27Tanner

Celtic

1Gordon
23Lustig
20Boyata
5Simunovic
63Tierney
14Armstrong
8Brown
49ForrestSubstituted forRobertsat 78'minutes
42McGregorSubstituted forRogicat 89'minutes
11Sinclair
10DembeleBooked at 16minsSubstituted forGriffithsat 64'minutes

Substitutes

7Roberts
9Griffiths
18Rogic
21Ntcham
24de Vries
28Sviatchenko
35Ajer

Referee:: Craig Thomson
Attendance:: 49,483

Match Stats

Home TeamMotherwellAway TeamCeltic

Possession: Home31%; Away69%

Shots: Home7; Away21

Shots on Target: Home3; Away8

Corners: Home0; Away7

Fouls: Home13; Away9

Live Text

Post update
Match ends, Motherwell 0, Celtic 2.
90'+4'
Full Time
Second Half ends, Motherwell 0, Celtic 2.

90'+3'
Post update
Louis Moult (Motherwell) hits the right post with a right footed shot from outside the box from a direct free kick.
90'+3'
Booking
Scott Brown (Celtic) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
90'+3'
Post update
Foul by Scott Brown (Celtic).
90'+3'
Post update
Louis Moult (Motherwell) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
90'+2'
Post update
Attempt saved. Tomas Rogic (Celtic) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
90'+2'
Post update
Attempt blocked. Scott Sinclair (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
90'
Post update
Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Charles Dunne.
89'
Substitution
Substitution, Celtic. Tomas Rogic replaces Callum McGregor.
88'
Post update
Attempt missed. Patrick Roberts (Celtic) left footed shot from the right side of the box is too high.
87'
Post update
Attempt missed. Leigh Griffiths (Celtic) header from very close range is too high.
87'
Post update
Kieran Tierney (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
87'
Post update
Foul by Craig Tanner (Motherwell).
86'
Post update
Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Charles Dunne.
86'
Post update
Attempt missed. Callum McGregor (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left.
85'
Post update
Foul by Carl McHugh (Motherwell).
85'
Post update
Scott Sinclair (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
84'
Post update
Attempt missed. Scott Sinclair (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is too high.
84'
Post update
Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Trevor Carson.

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542 comments

Pub team beats slightly worse pub team.

Scottish football is dire...
Scottish football, boring and pointless.

Congratulations Brendan Rodgers for winning a one horse race, yawn!!
fair play to celtic, who can only beat whats in front of them.
but the lack of competition in the SPL is a real shame.
Don't hear the Motherwell fans moaning a whining about the gap in quality and finances that Celtic do when they get their backside handed to them on a plate every time they get a hiding in the CL. Basically, the SPL and SLC is about their level. Sorry but it is very true.
5. Posted by robin on 5 minutes ago

A proud day in the history of Celtic FC.

A big win against the mighty Motherwell and still unbeaten in the Scottish Premier.

A hard act to follow.

Records just tumble.
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Different story when you play proper teams in the CL.
Another noddy egg cup for the celtic toy box.
This is not news. Celtic are head and shoulders the best fish in their particular pond.
News would be if they held their own against any of the top European sides, but instead they continue to get embarrassed.
Scottish football is embarrassing. How does Brendan Rogers keep a straight face? My old grandmother could manage Celtic and win the league. And she's been dead twenty years.
BORING, BORING, BORING. When are you going to get a Managers job which is CHALLENGING Brendan?
What a load of S, poor game from poor teams from a poor joke of a league, even the welsh league is better quality.
Nobody with an ounce of intelligence pretends Scottish Football compares to the English league - the TV companies made sure of that - so is is pointless to make comparisons and unfair to belittle the domestic achievements of Celtic who are still a bigger club than most English clubs. I'm not a Celtic fan by the way and I look forward to the day the Sky bubble bursts.
Congratulations to Celtic on winning the first trophy of the season and congratulations to both sets of fans and all those involved in the moving tribute to the late great Phil O'Donnell who served both Celtic and Motherwell so brilliantly.
Rodgers will never match Stein .He did it when there was real competition against them with all local no more than 50 miles from parkhead Scottish players not foreigners.
It's a insult to mention Rodgers in same breath as Big Jock.The big man would have nailed his team to the goalposts on their European ventures Rodgers is managing he says we're learning the man is a joke .
30 - genius! How did your team get on in the Champions League?
don't mention Rodgers in the same breath as jock stein.
"Getting into the Champions league by beating teams like Ross County makes me , a Sheffield Wed fan, absolutely livid."
really? Man City got into the CL by beating teams like Sunderland.
So when will we see SW gracing the CL, this century, next?
More delusion for the ridiculous Brendan. No way can he, or anyone else, be compared to the brilliant Jock Stein. In his time Scotland had at least three or four decent 1st division teams to provide decent competition. JS was one of a breed of truly great managers (Mostly Scots) managing teams on both sides of the border.
Brendan doesn't, and will never, come close
err - Rogers has created some history in Scotland - but Jock did that against far superior domestic foes and also won the European Cup. get some perspective and a grip English you've had too many celebratory drams
It's dying out slowly now, the slugs have to crawl back to their pits. Exhausted, frustrated and very angry, I must applaud Brendan for giving them all a Christmas to look forward to. It must be hell 😈😪
Jaysus lads it's nearly Christmas. Why can't we all just get along.

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Motherwell 0-2 Celtic