Celtic Edge Out St Mirren to Maintain Pressure on Leaders Hearts

Celtic secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over St Mirren, keeping the pressure on Scottish Premiership leaders Hearts. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's first-half goal proved decisive, as Martin O'Neill's side moved into second place, three points behind Hearts. Despite a strong start, Celtic struggled to find their rhythm, with Oxlade-Chamberlain's 15th-minute strike ultimately proving the difference. St Mirren had limited opportunities, with Celtic's substitute Kelechi Iheanacho missing a gilt-edged 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, returning to Celtic Park for the first time since November, played a lively role in supporting their team. After a frenetic opening period, Celtic thought they had taken the 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 both had early chances, but Celtic took control when Benjamin Nygren found McGregor, whose blocked shot fell to Kieran Tierney, and he picked out Oxlade-Chamberlain to score. Tomas Cvancara nearly doubled Celtic's lead, but his effort was thwarted by St Mirren goalkeeper Shamal George, who was later replaced by Ryan Mullen due to injury. The second half was a tightly contested affair, with few clear-cut chances created by either side. 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.' St Mirren boss Craig McLeish was disappointed with the result, acknowledging that his team lacked creativity in the final third.