Leaders Celtic 11 points clear

Hamilton fall

GLASGOW, Dec 14, (AFP): Runaway leaders Celtic further extended their lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership with a 1-0 defeat of Hamilton at Celtic Park on Tuesday.

A first-half strike from Leigh Griffiths was enough to claim Celtic’s 10th consecutive victory and condemn Hamilton to their first defeat in six games.

The Hoops now hold an 11-point advantage over Rangers, having played two games less than their fierce Glasgow rivals.

Aberdeen missed the chance to narrow the gap to second-place Rangers when their game against Motherwell at Pittodrie was abandoned due to floodlight failure.

Despite the victory, Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers thought his side had not been at their usual standard.

“I think throughout most of this season we’ve performed at a really high level, but some games we haven’t,” the former Liverpool manager said.

“Tonight was one of those games that we scored and hit back with a magnificent goal. They then sat back and tried to hold on until the penalty shoot-out.”

Sochaux coach Albert Cartier said his team’s victory had been “deserved” and came “from the heart”, adding that they regularly practised penalties.

“Generally we practise penalties at the end of very long training sessions so the players remain focused while fatigued, even if the context is obviously not the same.”

Earlier, former Portugal international Sergio Conceicao made a winning start as Nantes manager with a 3-1 victory over Montpellier.

Argentine striker Emiliano Sala struck either side of a Kevin Berigaud goal at the Stade de la Beaujoire as Nantes became the first team through to the last eight.

Poland international Mariusz Stepinski added a third for Nantes on the hour, although the hosts played out the final few minutes with 10 men after the dismissal of Abdoulaye Toure.

The relegation-threatened Breton club appointed Conceicao last Thursday to succeed Rene Girard with Nantes languishing second from bottom in the French top flight.

Conceicao, 42, formerly held the reins at Olhanense, Academica de Coimbra, Braga and then Vitoria Guimaraes in his homeland.

Holders Paris Saint-Germain host Lille in a repeat of last year’s final, while Monaco, Nice and Lyon are also in action on Wednesday. Bournemouth’s Nathan Ake, left, vies for the ball with Leicester City’s Shinji Okazaki, right, during the English Premier League soccer

match between Bournemouth and Leicester City, at the Vitality Stadium, in Bournemouth, England, Tuesday Dece. 13. (AP)