Celtic Edge Out St Mirren to Keep Pace with Leaders Hearts

Celtic maintained their pursuit of Scottish Premiership leaders Hearts with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over St Mirren. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's decisive first-half strike propelled Martin O'Neill's team into second place, three points adrift of Hearts, who secured a late win against Motherwell. Despite a promising start, Celtic struggled to find their rhythm, with Oxlade-Chamberlain's 15th-minute goal proving the difference. The hosts spurned opportunities to extend their lead, with substitute Kelechi Iheanacho squandering the best chance in the second half. St Mirren, meanwhile, were limited to a solitary shot on target, as Celtic ground out a narrow win. This encounter marked the first meeting between the sides since St Mirren's shock 3-1 win in the Premier Sports Cup final in December, but a repeat never seemed likely. The Green Brigade, returning to Celtic Park for the first time since November, were in fine voice, previewing the atmosphere for next week's Scottish Cup semi-final. Celtic thought they had taken an early lead when Callum McGregor's shot was parried, only for Oxlade-Chamberlain's rebound to be ruled out for offside. St Mirren's Jonah Ayunga and Miguel Freckleton attempted to make an impact, but Celtic took the lead when Benjamin Nygren found McGregor, whose shot was blocked, and Kieran Tierney picked out Oxlade-Chamberlain to score. Tomas Cvancara nearly doubled the lead, but collided with goalkeeper Shamal George, who was replaced by Ryan Mullen. The second half was a midfield battle, with few chances created. Iheanacho missed a golden 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.