Motherwell end the group stage on top after a 3-0 win over Morton.
Three second half goals sent Motherwell into the last sixteen of the League Cup after a dominant passing display over Morton. The Championship side defended in numbers but they were unable to hold out and can have no complaint about the result.
It was another round of changes to the ‘Well side with six alterations from the Stenhousemuir game. Once again five substitutes were employed but it seems that the new manager’s preaching is bearing results as the system seems to works regardless of which eleven players are on the park.
Stama takes the plaudits
Motherwell passed and passed and passed the ball as they pushed forward seeking the weakness in the opposition back line. The defenders stuck to their task and there were few clear cut chances in front of the South stand. Tawanda Maswanhise prompted a roar with an audacious overhead flick but he was to prompt a couple of bigger cheers in the second half.
Morton were rarely in attacking mode but a couple of breaks offered Tomi Adeloye opportunities for a strike against the flow. His histrionics after fluffing the chances are worth a mention.
There was no breakthrough in the first half and Jens Berthel Askou made his first substitution (Ibrahim Said for Callum Slattery) as the teams emerged from the dressing room.
The opener came early in the half and followed a powerful attempt by Johny Koutroumbis that was well saved by James Storer. He was unable to hold and Apostolos Stamatelopoulos followed up to finish on the goal line.
The game opened up a bit as Morton were forced to push forward but there were few scares for the home crowd.
Inside the last ten minutes Maswanhise found a gap at the edge of the box and placed the ball low to the keeper’s left from 15 yards. But there was more to come.
In added time he looked up some 22 yards from goal and placed a beauty of a curler into the postage stamp corner. It has to be a contender when awards time comes around.
Motherwell have topped the group and will be in the hat for the second round, the knockout stage, though it looks as though they will not be seeded.
Motherwell 3 Morton 0
Attendance 3,255
Team: Ward, Koutroumbis (O’Donnell 65), McGinn, Gordon, Longelo (Wilson 65), Watt, Slattery (Said 45), Fadinger (Halliday 65), Just (Sparrow 77), Maswanhise, Stamatelopoulos
Tuesday 22 July 2025
