Celtic hoping Ki can unlock opponents' defences

SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE:SOUTH KOREA midfielder Ki Sung Yueng has signed a four-year contract with Celtic in a deal reportedly worth €2.2 million.

The 20-year-old, who is expected to join up with the Celtic squad after Christmas, was recently named Asian Young Player of the Year and has made 17 international appearances, playing every game in South Korea’s World Cup qualifying campaign on route to South Africa.

On Saturday, Marc-Antoine Fortune came off the bench to grab a dramatic winner as league leaders Celtic edged Motherwell 3-2 at Fir Park.

The €4.2 million signing from Nancy, who has largely failed to impress since arriving at Parkhead, replaced Danny Fox and, with almost his first touch, fired a glorious shot past Motherwell goalkeeper John Ruddy.

Georgios Samaras’s 14th-minute opener had been cancelled out before the interval by goals from Lukas Jutkiewicz and Mark Reynolds.

Aiden McGeady levelled in the 51st minute and Barry Robson had a penalty saved by Ruddy before Fortune notched the winner.

Walter Smith feels Rangers’ comfortable 3-0 victory over St Johnstone at the weekend is further evidence of his team’s improving form.

Kris Boyd took just 30 seconds to open the scoring when he slotted home after Saints defender Graham Gartland had gifted possession to DaMarcus Beasley.

Rangers cruised all afternoon with Boyd converting a 27th-minute penalty and Nacho Novo finishing off a counter-attack six minutes into the second half.

“I think in the last month or so we’re doing better now than we have done, domestically speaking, since the start of the season,” said Smith. “We’re creating far more opportunities and looked a bit sharper than we have done despite the one defeat at Aberdeen, which was our poorest performance recently.”

Rangers can leapfrog Celtic at the top of the table tomorrow if they win their rearranged match against Dundee United at Tannadice.

John Hughes saw his third-placed Hibernian side – who are now just two points behind Rangers – come from behind to snatch a 1-1 draw at Kilmarnock.

The Rugby Park side went ahead early in a thrilling second half when home striker Mark Burchill cashed in on an error by goalkeeper Yves Ma-Kalalmbay, only for Anthony Stokes to equalise within five minutes following a quickly-taken Colin Nish free-kick. It extended the Edinburgh team’s unbeaten league run to 11 games.