Celtic II beat Hamilton Academical 3:1 in the first group stage match of the Challenge Cup on 12 August 2026. Hamilton took the lead in the first half before the visitors turned the game around in the second period. The result leaves Celtic II top of Group 1 on three points, while Hamilton sit on one.
Hamilton started brightly and created the first chance. L. Clearie took a penalty in the second minute but missed, and the hosts kept pressing. They finally broke through in the forty-third minute when Clearie converted to give Hamilton a one-goal advantage. By then Celtic II were struggling to find rhythm, but they began to settle after the break.
Celtic II came out with more purpose in the second half. R. Dargie missed a penalty in the forty-eighth minute, but the visitors did not let it affect them. J. McKay levelled in the seventy-second, and Dargie scored his own goal three minutes later. T. Hatton added a third in the seventy-eighth to seal the win, and here's the thing: Hamilton refused to go away despite the deficit.
The statistics tell the story of a match where possession did not translate into chances. Celtic II held 82 per cent of the ball and took twenty-seven shots, nine on target, but Hamilton managed eight-nine attacks with fourteen shots, five on target. The hosts created more danger from set pieces and transitions, while the visitors struggled to finish their dominance.
The result means Celtic II lead Group 1 with three points from one game, Hamilton sit second on one point. Both teams have one match remaining in the group stage, and the top two will progress to the knockout round.