Celtic secures a hard-fought win over St Mirren to maintain pressure on league leaders Hearts

Celtic maintained their pursuit of 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 team to leapfrog Rangers into second place and remain within three points of the top spot. Despite a promising start, Celtic struggled to find their rhythm, with Oxlade-Chamberlain's 15th-minute strike proving the difference. The visitors, St Mirren, managed only one shot on target, while Celtic spurned opportunities to extend their lead, including a close-range miss by substitute Kelechi Iheanacho in the second half. This encounter marked the first meeting between the two teams since St Mirren's surprise 3-1 victory in the Premier Sports Cup last December. The Green Brigade, back in attendance at Celtic Park for the first time since November, provided vocal support in a match that served as a precursor to next week's Scottish Cup semi-final. The hosts thought they had taken an early lead when Callum McGregor's shot was parried and Oxlade-Chamberlain scored, only to be denied by an offside flag. St Mirren's Jonah Ayunga and Miguel Freckleton attempted to make an impact with shots wide and saved, respectively, before Celtic broke through. 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 due to injury. The second half saw a more evenly contested midfield battle, with limited chances created by either side. Iheanacho missed a prime opportunity at the near post from a low cross. St Mirren's Jacob Devaney and Roland Idowu tried their luck from distance, but their efforts were not troubling for goalkeeper Viljami Sinisalo. Celtic manager Martin O'Neill expressed concerns over his team's energy levels, particularly in the second half, where they surrendered possession too easily. St Mirren boss Craig McLeish was disappointed not to secure points, acknowledging the need for his team to create more chances in the final third.