Celtic Secures Slim Win Over St Mirren to Maintain Pressure on Leaders Hearts

Celtic has kept the pressure on Scottish Premiership leaders Hearts with a narrow 1-0 victory over St Mirren. The decisive goal came in the first half courtesy of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, allowing Martin O'Neill's side to leapfrog Rangers into second place, now just three points behind Hearts, who managed a late win over Motherwell. Despite a strong opening, Celtic struggled to find their rhythm, with Oxlade-Chamberlain's 15th-minute strike, which found the bottom right corner, proving enough. St Mirren had limited opportunities, with their best chance coming from a mazy run by Jonah Ayunga that ended with a shot wide of the left post. Celtic's win was not convincing, with substitute Kelechi Iheanacho missing a golden opportunity to seal the win in the second half. The match marked the first encounter between the sides since St Mirren's surprising 3-1 win in the Premier Sports Cup in December, but a repeat was never on the cards. The Green Brigade, back in Celtic Park for the first time since November, provided lively support in what served as a dress rehearsal for the upcoming Scottish Cup semi-final. After a period of intense pressure, Celtic thought they had taken an early lead, only for Oxlade-Chamberlain's rebound to be ruled out for offside. The visitors had their chances, with Miguel Freckleton's shot saved by Viljami Sinisalo, before Oxlade-Chamberlain's goal. Celtic's Tomas Cvancara nearly doubled the lead but was denied by a collision with goalkeeper Shamal George, who was later replaced by Ryan Mullen due to injury. The second half saw a more evenly matched contest with few clear-cut chances, Iheanacho's miss at the near post being the most notable. St Mirren's Jacob Devaney and Roland Idowu had late efforts but were thwarted by Sinisalo. Celtic manager Martin O'Neill expressed concerns over his team's energy levels, particularly in the second half, where they easily surrendered possession. St Mirren boss Craig McLeish was disappointed with the outcome, acknowledging the need for points at this stage of the season and recognizing the difficulty of playing at Celtic Park.