Celtic Edge Out St Mirren to Maintain Pressure on Leaders Hearts

Celtic secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over St Mirren, keeping the pressure on Scottish Premiership leaders Hearts. Martin O'Neill's side moved into second place, three points behind Hearts, courtesy of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's first-half strike. Despite a strong start, Celtic struggled to find their rhythm, with Oxlade-Chamberlain's 15th-minute goal proving the difference. The hosts had a goal ruled out for offside earlier, while St Mirren's best chance came when Jonah Ayunga fired wide. Celtic substitute Kelechi Iheanacho missed a gilt-edged opportunity to seal the win, but the hosts held on for a narrow victory. The win sets Celtic up for next week's Scottish Cup semi-final, while St Mirren will look to regroup and find the creativity they lacked in the final third. Celtic manager Martin O'Neill expressed concerns over his side's energy levels, while St Mirren boss Craig McLeish was left disappointed by his team's inability to take points from the game.