Celtic Edge Out St Mirren to Maintain Pressure on Premiership Leaders

Celtic secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over St Mirren to stay within three points of Scottish Premiership leaders Hearts. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's first-half goal proved decisive, as Martin O'Neill's side moved into second place ahead of Rangers. Despite a strong start, Celtic struggled to impose themselves, with Oxlade-Chamberlain's 15th-minute strike ultimately proving the difference. St Mirren created limited opportunities, with Celtic's substitute Kelechi Iheanacho missing a golden chance to seal the win. The victory marked a significant improvement from Celtic's last meeting with St Mirren, who had stunned them with a 3-1 win in the Premier Sports Cup final in December. The Green Brigade, back in attendance at Celtic Park for the first time since November, played their part in driving the team forward. Celtic thought they had taken an early lead through Callum McGregor, but the goal was ruled out for offside. St Mirren's Jonah Ayunga and Miguel Freckleton both had efforts saved or wide of the mark before Oxlade-Chamberlain broke the deadlock. Tomas Cvancara came close to doubling the lead, but his attempt was thwarted by goalkeeper Shamal George, who later made way for Ryan Mullen due to injury. The second half saw a more subdued performance from both teams, with Iheanacho's missed chance at the near post the most notable opportunity. St Mirren's Jacob Devaney and Roland Idowu tried their luck from distance, but Celtic goalkeeper Viljami Sinisalo was equal to the task. Celtic manager Martin O'Neill expressed concerns over his team's energy levels, while St Mirren boss Craig McLeish praised his side's performance despite the lack of cutting edge in the final third.