Celtic Edge Out St Mirren to Maintain Pressure on Leaders Hearts

Celtic managed to secure 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, following a blocked shot by Callum McGregor. This win allowed Martin O'Neill's side to move into second place, three points behind Hearts, who had a late win over Motherwell. 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. The match marked 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 high spirits, ahead of next week's Scottish Cup semi-final. Celtic thought they had taken an early lead, but Oxlade-Chamberlain's rebound was ruled out for offside. St Mirren's Jonah Ayunga and Miguel Freckleton had early attempts, but Celtic took the lead through Oxlade-Chamberlain. 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 good opportunity, while St Mirren's Jacob Devaney and Roland Idowu had late attempts. 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.