Celtic's late late show sets up title showdown at Paradise

Celtic's late late show sets up title showdown at Paradise Scottish Premiership Wednesday, May 13, 2026 Fir Park, Motherwell MOTHERWELL…2 (Watt 17, Gordon 85) CELTIC…3 (Maeda 41, Nygren 58, Iheanacho 90 +9) Celtic will have the chance to win the title against Hearts on Saturday afternoon at Celtic Park after a last-gasp 3-2 victory over Motherwell at Fir Park kept the gap at the top of the table to just one point. With so much on the line this evening, Celtic looked to put pressure on the home side from the start and with just over five minutes gone, the Hoops had fashioned two chances. The first, a free kick from Arne Engels went wide of the target from 30 yards out, whilst the second saw Alistair Johnston burst in to the area and flash a ball towards the six-yard box, which the Motherwell defence dealt with.

Motherwell took the lead with just over 15 minutes gone, when a ball in to the box from Tom Sparrow was forced out to the edge of the area where Elliott Watt was waiting. Watt’s effort was a powerful one and even a touch from Sinisalo wasn’t enough to keep it out of the net. That opener spurred the home side and their support on and for the next 10 minutes, the Hoops had to deal with a number of forward runs and crosses in to the box from Jens Berthel Askou’s men.

Celtic fashioned a great opportunity which could have led to an equaliser in the 25th minute when Sebastian Tounekti went tearing away down the left wing in to a good crossing position after linking up with Benjamin Nygren, but the Tunisian winger’s cross was massively overhit and the chance was gone. The equaliser that Celtic desperately required came with five minutes of the first half to go, with Daizen Maeda producing a finish from a difficult angle to find the back of the net via the inside of the post. The pass through to the Japanese forward came from Motherwell’s Callum Slattery, whose full-blooded sliding challenge on Yang sent the ball in Maeda’s direction, and he made no mistake as he claimed his seventh goal in five games.

In the final minute of the half, Motherwell goalkeeper Calum Ward clattered in to Daizen Maeda in the box after a lofted pass in to the area from Callum McGregor. With Maeda still laid out on the ground, Arne Engels pounced on the loose ball and hit the crossbar with an effort from the edge of the box, with the Hoops unlucky not to go in one goal ahead at the break. Motherwell found themselves with a big chance just moments in to the second half when Elijah Just burst in to the Celtic penalty area, but just as he pulled the trigger on what would have been an effort on target, Callum McGregor appeared on the scene to make a crucial block.