Celtic Rally From Deficit to Secure Early Victory Over St Mirren

Celtic managed to overturn a first‑half setback and preserve the perfect start to their Scottish Premiership title defence, while St Mirren suffered their inaugural loss of the campaign. The match pitted the only two unbeaten sides in the top flight against each other in Paisley, and the hosts entered with the ambition of extending their blistering opening run and climbing to the summit of the table.

Their early dominance seemed to justify that aim. The turning point arrived when Liam Scales, attempting to block a low strike from Chris Mochrie, handled the ball in a clear‑cut handball. The referee pointed to the spot and Nikolas Agrafiotis stepped up, calmly converting the penalty and giving Celtic the lead.

The Hoops thought they had restored parity moments later when Camilo Duran nudged the ball home from a Hyun Jun Yang cross, but a VAR review ruled the effort offside, nullifying the equaliser. Both sides created chances in quick succession. Callum McGregor, Hussain Hassan and Yang each squandered opportunities before Scales redeemed his earlier mistake.

Rising to meet a Mika Baur corner, Scales headed the ball into the net, putting Celtic ahead once more. Duran then supplied a precise pass to Yang, who finished calmly past goalkeeper Jacob Chapman, sealing Celtic’s comeback and allowing them to withstand a determined St Mirren who continued to press for a leveller. In stoppage time, new signing Shim Mhueka believed he had finally opened his account, but his effort was also disallowed for off‑side.

The match ended with Celtic maintaining a flawless five‑point tally, stretching their lead over St Mirren at the top of the league. Key moments in chronological order illustrate the ebb and flow of the encounter: - 18′ SAVE – Taylor’s long‑range effort is tipped away by Sinisalo. - 19′ PENALTY TO ST MIRREN – Mochrie’s shot strikes Scales’ arm, prompting a spot‑kick.

- 22′ GOAL ST MIRREN – Sinisalo saves the initial attempt, but Agrafiotis fires a powerful shot into the bottom corner. - 29′ GOAL CELTIC – Duran restores Celtic’s lead.

- 31′ NO GOAL – VAR overturns Celtic’s equaliser for off‑side. - 40′ SAVE – McGregor mis‑connects on Baur’s corner, Chapman secures the ball. - 42′ SAVE – Hassan’s cross finds Duran at the edge of the area, but the keeper reacts swiftly.

- 48′ WIDE – Hassan delivers a brilliant ball to Yang, who inexplicably shoots wide. - 51′ GOAL CELTIC – Scales rises to head Baur’s corner, redeeming his earlier error. - 55′ BLOCK – Scales heads another corner wide. - 64′ BLOCK – Nygren’s pass to Yang is intercepted by Ramsay, who forces an off‑target shot.

- 68′ GOAL CELTIC – Duran wins the ball, Yang beats Chapman one‑on‑one and scores. - 74′ SAVE – Sinisalo denies Thomas as St Mirren press on. - 86′ CHANCE – Thomas misses from six yards, only managing a weak effort.

- 90+3′ GOAL DISALLOWED – Mhueka appears to score, but the referee consults the monitor and rules it out. Post‑match reactions highlighted the quality and character displayed by both teams. 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 refusing to be intimidated by Celtic’s reputation. McFadden noted the bravery of a side that chose to play openly against a dominant opponent, emphasizing that the performance demonstrated exactly what McLeish wants his team to achieve.

Former Celtic captain Jackie McNamara echoed a similar sentiment, calling the result fair and commending St Mirren for never giving up. He observed that Celtic’s loss of momentum after substituting their wingers contributed to a slight dip in impetus toward the end, but ultimately the visitors deserved the three points. St Mirren manager Craig McLeish, speaking to Sky Sports, reflected on the progress his squad has made.

He admitted the disappointment of not securing a point but highlighted the threat his side posed, noting they recorded 19 shots on target—a clear sign of sustained attacking intent. McLeish stressed that despite conceding goals, Celtic also created numerous chances, and he urged his players to “dust themselves down and go again,” reminding everyone that football always offers another match around the corner. Celtic boss Martin O'Neill described the evening as “tough,” acknowledging that while his side generated opportunities, they lacked the fluidity he expected. He praised his players for digging deep in the final stages, overturning a deficit against a team in superb form.

O'Neill also addressed the impending loss of Hyun Jun Yang to international duty with South Korea, calling him a “major blow” due to his defensive contributions and recent impressive performances, including the goal he scored in this match. Overall, the fixture provided a thrilling showcase of Scottish football, with Celtic demonstrating resilience and St Mirren proving they can challenge the champions. The result keeps Celtic unbeaten and five points clear at the summit, while St Mirren will look to bounce back quickly, using the lessons learned from a hard‑fought but ultimately unsuccessful encounter.