Celtic Edge Out St Mirren to Maintain Pressure on League Leaders Hearts

Celtic secured a narrow 1-0 victory over St Mirren to stay within three points of Scottish Premiership leaders Hearts. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's first-half goal, scored after 15 minutes, proved to be the decisive factor as Martin O'Neill's side moved into second place ahead of Rangers. Despite a strong start, Celtic struggled to find their rhythm and were unable to add to their lead, with substitute Kelechi Iheanacho missing a golden opportunity to seal the win. St Mirren, on the other hand, managed only one shot on target as they failed to replicate their surprise 3-1 win over Celtic in the Premier Sports Cup back in December. The match marked the return of the Green Brigade to Celtic Park, and they were in fine voice as their team prepared for next week's Scottish Cup semi-final. After a series of near misses, including a disallowed goal for offside, Celtic finally broke the deadlock when Oxlade-Chamberlain fired into the bottom right corner. The hosts continued to push for a second goal, with Tomas Cvancara and Benjamin Nygren both coming close, but St Mirren's defense held firm. The second half was a more subdued affair, with both teams creating few clear-cut chances. Celtic manager Martin O'Neill expressed his concern over his team's lack of energy, while St Mirren boss Craig McLeish praised his team's performance, despite their inability to create scoring opportunities.