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 side, aware that their title rivals would be watching, applied relentless pressure throughout the match, aiming to send a clear message to both Rangers and Hearts ahead of their Sunday fixtures.
The first half saw the visitors struggle to create clear-cut chances, while Celtic's attacking trio made the most of their opportunities. Daizen Maeda opened the scoring with a clinical finish, capitalising on a sloppy touch from Keelan Adams at the halfway line. Maeda sprinted onto the ball, out‑of‑position goalkeeper Nicky Hogarth, and slipped a first‑time shot past him, showcasing the Japanese forward's instinctive pressing and finishing prowess. Just before the break, Kieran Tierney doubled the lead, lashing a powerful strike from the edge of the box that ricocheted off the crossbar before finding the net on the rebound.
His goal marked his sixth of the season and underscored Celtic's swift counter‑attacking threat. Falkirk, who sit in sixth place and have found themselves in a steep climb toward European qualification, tried to respond. Captain Brad Spencer produced a fine long‑range volley that was narrowly saved by Viljami Sinisalo, while a well‑delivered corner saw Dylan Tait head wide. Despite these efforts, the Bairns were still reeling from the loss of three key players—Scott Bain, Filip Lissah and Liam Henderson—who were sidelined after injuries sustained in last weekend's Scottish Cup semi‑final defeat to Dunfermline Athletic.
The second half belonged largely to the visitors. Celtic maintained control, with Yang's effort ruled out for off‑side as they continued to dominate possession. Falkirk, however, found a lifeline when substitute Kyrell Wilson received a cross‑field pass from Leon McCann, controlled it on his chest, and unleashed a stunning half‑volley that flew into the top corner from a tight angle. The goal injected a surge of optimism into the Falkirk camp, and Wilson remained a constant threat as they pressed for an equaliser.
Nevertheless, Celtic's composure did not waver. Seven minutes from full‑time, Maeda struck again, tapping in a rebound after a cut‑back from Sebastian Tounekti.
The goal marked his second of the evening and his third in two matches, ending a 17‑game drought and reaffirming his growing influence on the team. O'Neill praised Maeda's performance, describing him as "phenomenal" and highlighting the player's ability to rise to the occasion when it matters most.
The win extended Celtic's unbeaten run to four games and placed them just one point behind the top three, with only four matches remaining in the season. The victory also demonstrated the squad's depth and resilience, qualities that O'Neill believes will be crucial as the title race intensifies. He noted the adversity the team has faced, including injuries and a demanding fixture schedule, yet emphasized the "immense character" shown by his players.
Falkirk's manager John McGlynn expressed pride in his team's effort despite the loss. He acknowledged the mental challenge of playing against a side of Celtic's calibre, especially after recent setbacks against Rangers and Dunfermline. McGlynn highlighted the intensity of Celtic's pressing and the determination of his own players, praising their attitude even if the result did not go their way.
Looking ahead, Celtic must maintain their momentum against both Rangers and Hearts in the upcoming weekend fixtures. The narrow margin at the top of the table means every point is critical, and O'Neill's side will need to sustain the high‑pressing, attacking football that has served them well this season. For Falkirk, the focus shifts to rebuilding confidence and chasing the remaining European spots, a task made more difficult by their recent form of one win in five across all competitions. Fans can continue to follow the Scottish Premiership action live on Sky Sports or stream matches via NOW for uninterrupted coverage.
As the season draws to a close, the battle for the championship and European qualification promises to deliver more drama, with Celtic, Rangers, and Hearts locked in a three‑horse race that could be decided in the final weeks. Celtic manager Martin O'Neill summed up the evening: "The result was the most important thing. Daizen Maeda was phenomenal today… I thought he was tremendous. 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 have flaws like everybody else, but you cannot dispute the character of the team. I will pay attention to what's happening on Sunday, absolutely, I've always done that.
I remember going back years and years ago worrying about what Rangers might do the next day. Hearts have shown great resilience; it's a three‑horse race." Falkirk manager John McGlynn added: "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."