Celtic beat Motherwell to go top as Jota returns

Celtic are back on top of the Scottish Premiership after a 2-0 win away to Motherwell on Sunday, 11 October. BBC Sport

Camilo Duran struck early at Fir Park. Benjamin Nygren added the second after the break to seal it.

Duran scored after eight minutes with a low shot from 20 yards inside Alex Paulsen's left-hand post. Nygren hit the crossbar in the 56th minute, then scored two minutes later. Paulsen kept the score down. He made 12 saves.

The win mattered for the table and the mood. Celtic had lost three matches in a row before the international break, two of them to Rangers. Martin O'Neill, in charge for this one, had said beforehand the focus was simply on getting the win. Celtic FC

O'Neill paired Kasper Høgh alongside Duran in attack from the start. Viljami Sinisalo was in goal. The game was a William Hill Premiership fixture that kicked off at noon in front of 6,965 supporters at Fir Park.

The loudest cheer was for a substitute. Jota was named on the bench, then came on in the 74th minute for Tounekti. It was his first appearance in almost 18 months after a cruciate ligament injury, a serious knee injury that often needs a year or more of recovery. He almost set up a goal with his first touches.

Motherwell, managed by Alfred Johansson, could not find a way through. Stephen O'Donnell made his first start of the season, his 230th appearance for the club. Dylan Levitt made his first start since joining from Leyton Orient in the summer. Defeat made it four in a row for Motherwell.

What makes this stand out is how complete the afternoon felt for Celtic. A clean sheet. Two different scorers. Top spot again. And a popular player back where supporters love to see him, running at defenders.

Celtic needed that. After a rough run, they looked controlled and patient. For Motherwell, there was effort but no reward against a side keen to put things right.