Celtic Edge Out St Mirren to Maintain Pressure on Leaders Hearts

Celtic have secured a narrow 1-0 victory over St Mirren, keeping the pressure on Scottish Premiership leaders Hearts. The winning goal came in the 15th minute when Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain fired into the bottom right corner, after an earlier strike was ruled out for offside. This win moves Martin O'Neill's side above Rangers into second place, just three points behind Hearts. Despite a strong start, Celtic struggled to extend their lead, with substitute Kelechi Iheanacho missing a close-range opportunity in the second half. St Mirren had limited chances, with only one shot on target, as Celtic ground out a hard-fought win. This match was the first meeting between the two sides since St Mirren's surprise 3-1 win in the Premier Sports Cup in December. The Green Brigade, back in Celtic Park for the first time since November, were in fine voice, ahead of next week's Scottish Cup semi-final. After a period of intense pressure, Celtic thought they had taken the lead early on, but Oxlade-Chamberlain's rebound was ruled out for offside. St Mirren's Jonah Ayunga and Miguel Freckleton tried to make an impact, but Celtic took the lead when Oxlade-Chamberlain scored. Tomas Cvancara nearly doubled the lead, but collided with goalkeeper Shamal George, who was later replaced by Ryan Mullen. The second half was a midfield battle, with few chances created. Iheanacho missed a great opportunity, while St Mirren's Jacob Devaney and Roland Idowu tried their luck from distance. Celtic manager Martin O'Neill expressed concerns over his team's energy levels, while St Mirren boss Craig McLeish was disappointed not to take any points, citing a lack of creativity in the final third.