Celtic secured a vital 3-1 triumph over Falkirk at Celtic Park, drawing level on points with league leaders Hearts and keeping the title race tightly contested. Martin O'Neill’s men took full advantage of playing before their main rivals, applying relentless pressure that left the visitors scrambling for answers.
The first half saw Japanese forward Daizen Maeda and left‑back Kieran Tierney deliver two superb finishes. Maeda opened the scoring by exploiting a sloppy touch from Keelan Adams on the halfway line, sprinting onto the ball and calmly slotting it past Falkirk keeper Nicky Hogarth.
Tierney then doubled the lead just before the break, thumping a powerful shot from the edge of the box that rattled the cross‑bar and completed a swift Celtic counter‑attack. Falkirk, who sit in sixth place and are now facing a steep climb toward European qualification, struggled to find rhythm after a spate of injuries to key players—Scott Bain, Filip Lissah and Liam Henderson—suffered in last weekend’s Scottish Cup semi‑final loss to Dunfermline Athletic.
Despite the setbacks, the Bairns began the match brightly. Captain Brad Spencer unleashed a long‑range volley that was narrowly saved by Viljami Sinisalo, and a well‑delivered corner saw Dylan Tait head the ball wide of the target.
The visitors’ early promise soon faded as Celtic’s pressing intensified. Maeda, who had already demonstrated his high‑pressing prowess in the semi‑final win over St Mirren, continued to harass Falkirk’s back line, forcing errors and creating space for his teammates.
His second goal arrived in the 83rd minute, a clinical finish after a clever cut‑back from Sebastian Tounekti. The strike marked Maeda’s third goal in as many matches and ended a 17‑game goalless run, highlighting his resurgence at a crucial juncture in the campaign. Falkirk’s lone reply came from substitute Kyrell Wilson, who received a cross‑field pass from Leon McCann and unleashed a spectacular half‑volley that curled into the top corner from a tight angle. The goal injected a brief surge of hope, but Celtic’s dominance in the closing stages meant the visitors could not muster a second equaliser.
The win represents Celtic’s fourth consecutive victory as they push toward the final four games of the season, still defending the Premiership crown they captured last year. With only a single point separating the top three clubs, every result now carries heightened significance. O'Neill praised his side’s resilience, noting the "phenomenal" performance of Maeda and the overall character displayed despite recent adversity.
In post‑match comments, O'Neill said, "The result was the most important thing. Daizen Maeda was phenomenal today… I thought he was tremendous today. I'm delighted with the result and delighted with quite a number of performances. There's been a lot of adversity, but the players have shown immense character.
We've got flaws like everybody else, but you cannot dispute the character of the team." Falkirk manager John McGlynn, while acknowledging the defeat, expressed pride in his squad’s effort: "I'm really pleased with the performance; it was a big test for us today mentally after losing the late goals against Rangers and the penalty shoutout last week against Dunfermline. We gave that as good a go as anyone could have given… there's not a lot in the stats. We tried to play a couple of times and lost the ball, Celtic punished us. Celtic were very much at it and were pressing with great intensity.
I'm really proud of them because there was a big question about how we'd respond to that last week. Yeah, we're beat, but the mentality of the team was great." Looking ahead, Celtic will face Rangers and Hearts in the remaining fixtures, a trio of matches that could decide the championship. The club’s supporters will be hoping that the form displayed at Celtic Park continues, especially from key contributors like Maeda, Tierney and the ever‑reliable midfield engine Yang.
For Falkirk, the focus now shifts to clawing back points in the league and aiming for a higher finish that could secure a place in European competition, a task that will require both tactical adjustments and a return to full‑strength personnel. Fans can catch all upcoming Scottish Premiership action live on Sky Sports or stream matches via NOW for those who prefer digital viewing.
The race for the title remains open, and with just four games left, every point will be fiercely contested as the clubs vie for glory in Scotland’s top flight.