Celtic managed to overturn a deficit and keep their flawless opening record in the Scottish Premiership, while St Mirren suffered their first loss of the campaign. The encounter in Paisley pitted the league's two unbeaten sides against each other, with the Buddies eager to extend their scorching start and seize the top spot.
Their early dominance paid off when a clear handball by defender Liam Scales on a Chris Mochrie attempt earned a penalty, which Nikolas Agrafiotis calmly slotted home. Celtic thought they had equalised moments later when Camilo Duran nudged the ball in from a Hyun Jun Yang cross, but a VAR review ruled the goal out for off‑side.
The match continued in a seesaw fashion, with both teams creating chances. Callum McGregor, Hussain Hassan and Yang all missed opportunities before Scales redeemed himself for the earlier mistake, rising to meet Mika Baur's corner and heading the ball into the net. The turning point arrived when Duran supplied a precise pass to Yang, who finished neatly beyond St Mirren keeper Jacob Chapman, completing Celtic's comeback. The visitors then held firm as St Mirren pressed for an equaliser, even seeing new signing Shim Mhueka believe he had scored in stoppage time, only for VAR to again disallow the goal for off‑side.
Celtic's win marked five victories from five matches, extending their lead to five points over St Mirren at the summit of the table. Key moments of the game included: - 18': A long‑range effort from Taylor was saved by Sinisalo. - 19': A penalty awarded to St Mirren after Mochrie's strike struck Scales' outstretched arm.
- 22': Sinisalo saved a powerful shot from Agrafiotis that hit the bottom corner. - 29': Duran responded for Celtic with a goal.
- 31': VAR ruled out Celtic's equaliser for off‑side. - 40': McGregor failed to connect with Baur's corner, and Chapman kept the ball out. - 42': Hassan's cross found Duran, but the Buddies keeper intervened.
- 48': Hassan delivered a brilliant ball to Yang, who inexplicably missed the target. - 51': Scales headed home from Baur's corner, redeeming his earlier error.
- 55': Scales headed wide from another corner. - 64': Nygren's pass to Yang was blocked by Ramsay. - 68': Duran won the ball back, Yang beat Chapman one‑on‑one and scored.
- 74': Sinisalo saved Thomas' effort as St Mirren pushed forward. - 86': Thomas missed a close‑range chance, sending the ball over the bar.
- 90+3': Mhueka's late strike was ruled out after a VAR check. Post‑match reactions highlighted the quality of Celtic's performance.
Sky Sports analyst James McFadden praised the visitors, saying they were "worthy winners" who handled the pressure, dominated possession and capitalised on their chances. He commended St Mirren for adhering to Craig McLeish's game plan, noting their willingness to take risks, draw the press and remain brave despite the danger of being exposed against a side of Celtic's calibre. Former Celtic captain Jackie McNamara called the result "fair" and lauded St Mirren's resilience, pointing out that they never gave up and stayed in contention until the final whistle. He observed that Celtic's momentum dipped slightly after their wingers drifted wide, but overall the visitors deserved the three points.
St Mirren manager Craig McLeish, speaking to Sky Sports, reflected on his team's progress, saying the performance demonstrated how far the group had come. He noted the disappointment of not securing a point but emphasized the threat his side posed, having generated 19 shots on target. McLeish admitted that losing goals was frustrating, yet recognised Celtic also created opportunities.
He urged his players to shake off the defeat and focus on the next match, reminding everyone that football always offers another chance. Celtic boss Martin O'Neill described the evening as "tough" but acknowledged his side produced chances, even if the flow of play was not always spectacular. He praised the team's determination to fight back from a goal down against a side in excellent form, and highlighted the quality of Celtic's periods of play.
O'Neill also addressed the impending loss of Hyun Jun Yang to international duty with South Korea, calling it a "major blow" due to Yang's defensive contributions and his impressive start to the season, including a brilliant goal. He expressed that the team would miss him greatly. Overall, the match showcased a high‑octane contest between the league's only unbeaten sides, with Celtic ultimately prevailing through resilience, tactical adjustments and a bit of VAR luck.
St Mirren, despite the loss, demonstrated attacking intent and will look to bounce back in upcoming fixtures, while Celtic aim to maintain their perfect start and continue challenging for the title.