Celtic maintained their pressure on Scottish Premiership leaders Hearts with a narrow 1-0 victory over St Mirren. The decisive goal came in the 15th minute courtesy of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, allowing Martin O'Neill's team to leapfrog Rangers into second place, now just three points behind Hearts. Despite starting strongly, Celtic failed to impress throughout the match, with their early goal being the highlight of a lackluster performance.
St Mirren, on the other hand, struggled to find their footing, managing only one shot on target. Celtic's substitute Kelechi Iheanacho missed a gilt-edged chance to seal the win in the second half, but the hosts managed to grind out a hard-fought victory. This match marked the first encounter between the two sides since St Mirren's stunning 3-1 win in the Premier Sports Cup back in December.
The Green Brigade, back in Celtic Park for the first time since November, provided vocal support in what served as a dress rehearsal for the upcoming Scottish Cup semi-final. Celtic thought they had taken an early lead through Callum McGregor, only to be denied by an offside flag. St Mirren's Jonah Ayunga and Miguel Freckleton attempted to make an impact but were thwarted by Celtic's defense.
The hosts took the lead when Oxlade-Chamberlain fired into the bottom right corner after a blocked shot by Alex Gogic. Tomas Cvancara nearly doubled the lead but collided with goalkeeper Shamal George, who was later replaced by Ryan Mullen. The second half was marked by a midfield stalemate, with Iheanacho missing a prime opportunity at the near post.
St Mirren's Jacob Devaney and Roland Idowu tried their luck from distance but were denied by Viljami Sinisalo. Celtic manager Martin O'Neill expressed concerns over his team's energy levels, stating, 'We lacked energy. Sometimes it happens. You're chasing the title, we're playing catch-up all the time.' St Mirren boss Craig McLeish lamented his team's inability to capitalize on their performance, saying, 'We're missing that little bit in the final third, a little bit of creativity, a spark, to create some more chances from open play.'