Celtic Edge Out St Mirren to Maintain Pressure on Leaders Hearts

Celtic have kept their title hopes alive with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over St Mirren, maintaining the pressure on Scottish Premiership leaders Hearts. A first-half goal from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain proved to be the decisive factor, as Martin O'Neill's side moved into second place, three points behind Hearts. Despite a strong start, Celtic struggled to impose their dominance, with Oxlade-Chamberlain's early strike, which came after an initial effort was ruled out for offside, being the only goal of the game. St Mirren had limited opportunities, with their best chance coming through Jonah Ayunga's mazy run into the box. The visitors' inability to capitalize on their possession allowed Celtic to grind out a narrow win, with substitute Kelechi Iheanacho missing a chance to seal the victory in the second half. This win marks a significant improvement for Celtic, who were stunned by St Mirren in their previous meeting, a 3-1 defeat in the Premier Sports Cup. The Green Brigade, who returned to Celtic Park for the first time since November, played a significant role in spurring their team on. Celtic manager Martin O'Neill expressed concern over his team's energy levels, stating that they lacked the necessary spark to cement their lead. St Mirren boss Craig McLeish, on the other hand, was disappointed with the outcome, citing the need for his team to be more creative in the final third to create scoring opportunities.