Celtic Edge Out St Mirren to Maintain Pressure on League Leaders Hearts

Celtic have kept their title hopes alive with a narrow 1-0 victory over St Mirren, closing the gap with Scottish Premiership leaders Hearts to three points. The decisive goal came in the 15th minute courtesy of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, whose first-half strike proved enough to secure a hard-fought win and move Martin O'Neill's side above Rangers into second place. Despite a strong start, Celtic struggled to find their rhythm, with Oxlade-Chamberlain initially having a goal ruled out for offside before finding the net. The hosts had several opportunities to extend their lead but were unable to capitalize, with substitute Kelechi Iheanacho missing a gilt-edged chance in the second half. St Mirren, on the other hand, were limited to just one shot on target, as Celtic ground out a crucial victory. This encounter marked the first meeting between the two sides since St Mirren's surprise 3-1 win in the Premier Sports Cup back in December, but a repeat of that upset never seemed likely. The Green Brigade, returning to Celtic Park for the first time since November, were in fine voice as their team prepared for next week's Scottish Cup semi-final. After a period of relentless pressure, Celtic thought they had taken the lead early on, 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 it was Celtic who broke the deadlock when Oxlade-Chamberlain rifled home after a blocked shot. Tomas Cvancara nearly doubled the lead, but his effort was thwarted by a collision with goalkeeper Shamal George, who was subsequently replaced by Ryan Mullen due to injury. The second half was a tightly contested affair, with few clear-cut chances created by either side. Iheanacho spurned the best opportunity at the near post, while St Mirren's Jacob Devaney and Roland Idowu tried their luck from distance but failed to trouble Celtic's goalkeeper Viljami Sinisalo. Celtic manager Martin O'Neill expressed concerns over his team's energy levels, stating, 'We lacked energy, and in the second half, we surrendered possession quite easily, allowing St Mirren to have strong phases of the game.' St Mirren boss Craig McLeish, meanwhile, was left disappointed by the result, acknowledging that his team lacked the creativity to create more chances and take points from the game.