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 match pitted the only two unbeaten clubs in the top division against each other in Paisley, and the hosts entered the game eager to extend their blistering start and claim the league summit. Their early dominance seemed to pay off when they earned a penalty after Liam Scales inadvertently handled the ball while attempting to block a shot from Chris Mochrie. Nikolas Agrafiotis stepped up and calmly slotted the spot‑kick, giving St Mirren a 1‑0 lead.
Celtic thought they had equalised moments later when Camilo Duran redirected a cross from Hyun‑Jun Yang into the net, but a VAR review overturned the goal for off‑side, leaving the visitors still trailing. The Hoops continued to press, with Callum McGregor, Hussain Hassan and Yang each squandering clear chances. Scales, who had earlier been at fault, redeemed himself by rising highest to meet Mika Baur's corner and heading the ball past keeper Jacob Chapman, restoring parity at 1‑1.
The turning point arrived when Duran supplied a neat pass to Yang, who calmly finished beyond Chapman to put Celtic ahead. The visitors then defended resolutely as St Mirren threw everything at them, creating several opportunities to level the score.
New signing Shim Mhueka appeared to have scored a stoppage‑time winner, but once again VAR intervened and ruled the effort off‑side, confirming Celtic's 2‑1 triumph. The win marked Celtic's fifth consecutive victory, extending their lead at the top of the table to five points over St Mirren. The match featured a series of notable incidents: at the 18th minute, Taylor struck from the edge of the box only to see Sinisalo make a crucial save; a penalty was awarded to St Mirren in the 19th minute after Mochrie's shot clipped Scales' arm; and Agrafiotis unleashed a powerful strike that rattled the bottom corner in the 22nd minute, though it was denied by the keeper.
Celtic's response came in the 29th minute when Duran found the net, only for VAR to cancel a subsequent equaliser for off‑side in the 31st. McGregor missed a header from Baur's corner at the 40th minute, and Hassan's cross fell to Duran, who was denied by Chapman. Hassan later produced a brilliant pass for Yang, who inexplicably missed the target from close range at the 48th minute.
Scales' header from Baur's corner in the 51st minute gave Celtic the lead, a moment of redemption for the defender after his earlier handball. St Mirren threatened again when Scales headed a corner wide at the 55th minute, and Nygren's pass to Yang was blocked by Ramsay at the 64th. Duran's work rate paid off in the 68th minute when he won the ball back, Yang beat Chapman one‑on‑one and calmly finished to make it 3‑1.
Despite the deficit, St Mirren continued to press. Sinisalo saved a close‑range effort from Thomas at the 74th minute, and Thomas himself missed a six‑yard chance at the 86th, lashing the ball over the bar. In stoppage time, Mhueka appeared to slot home a fourth goal, but the referee consulted the monitor and disallowed it for off‑side.
Post‑match reactions highlighted the quality of the contest. Sky Sports analyst James McFadden praised Celtic as "worthy winners" who handled the pressure, possessed the ball, and capitalised on their chances. He lauded St Mirren for adhering to Craig McLeish's game plan, taking risks, and staying brave against a dominant opponent. Former Celtic captain Jackie McNamara described the result as "fair" and commended St Mirren for never giving up.
He noted that Celtic's wingers dropping deeper in the latter stages reduced their momentum, but overall the visitors deserved the three points. St Mirren manager Craig McLeish, speaking to Sky Sports, reflected on his team's progress, acknowledging the disappointment of not securing a point but emphasising the threat they posed throughout the match, with 19 shots on goal. He urged his players to recover quickly, reminding them that another game is always around the corner. Celtic boss Martin O'Neill admitted it was a "tough evening" for his side, conceding that the team lacked fluency at times but ultimately dug deep to win.
He highlighted the defensive contribution of Hyun‑Jun Yang, who was set to leave for international duty with South Korea. O'Neill warned that Yang's departure would be a "major blow" given his work rate and recent form, noting that the match was likely his final appearance for the club before heading abroad. Overall, the encounter showcased the intensity of a title‑race clash between two unbeaten sides, with Celtic demonstrating resilience and tactical adaptability to secure a valuable three points and maintain their early-season momentum.