Mika Baur celebrated his inaugural strike for Celtic as the Scottish champions stretched their winning run to six matches in the ongoing Premiership campaign. The victory came against St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park, a fixture that also marked the first appearance of several changes made by manager Martin O'Neill ahead of a busy schedule that includes a Europa League tie and the looming Old Firm clash in both cup and league competitions. O'Neill opted for five alterations to his starting XI.
Notably, Kasper Hogh returned from a lengthy injury layoff and was handed the gloves, while on-loan goalkeeper Sam Johnstone also featured, delivering a spectacular save early on to deny Joel Cotterill, who was making his first start for the Saints. Johnstone's reflexes set the tone for a match in which Celtic generally enjoyed the better of the chances. The breakthrough arrived after the interval when Baur latched onto a low cross from Egypt international Haissem Hassan and calmly tapped the ball into the net, registering his first goal for the Hoops.
The moment was a milestone for the German midfielder and gave the visitors a 1-0 lead. Later, Hassan appeared to be on the verge of his own first Celtic goal, only for the ball to be ruled out of play before Kasper Hogh could head it back into the box for the striker to finish.
St Johnstone, who have remained unbeaten at home this season, pressed for an equaliser on several occasions. They created a handful of clear-cut opportunities, but Celtic’s defence, bolstered by the returning Hogh, held firm. The match featured a series of notable incidents that illustrated the intensity of the contest: - In the fifth minute, Hassan’s attempt was thwarted by a strong save from the Saints' keeper, who managed to push the ball away as Celtic sought an early lead. - At the 19th minute, Cotterill found himself one-on-one after a low cross from Alic, but Johnstone palmed the ball away, preserving the clean sheet.
- A close chance came in the 31st minute when McGregor’s shot was deflected past the post by Campbell, prompting a quick reaction from Steward, who cleared the danger. - The hosts threatened at the 40th minute when Diabate’s effort was blocked on the line by Donovan, while a brilliant cross from Tounekti at the 44th minute was headed past by Diabate himself. - In the 47th minute, McAlear beat McGregor and set up Steven, only for his strike to be saved directly by Johnstone. - The decisive moment arrived in the 52nd minute when Baur finished neatly from Hassan’s low cross, securing his first Celtic goal and cementing the lead.
- A potential second goal was disallowed in the 66th minute after Hogh headed the ball back to Hassan, who smashed it home, but the referee ruled the ball had gone out of play before the assist. - Subsequent saves from Steward in the 71st and 77th minutes, as well as a series of blocked attempts from Nygren and Forrest, underscored the defensive resilience on both sides.
The match concluded with Celtic maintaining a five‑point cushion over second‑placed Rangers, who they will meet again in their next league encounter the following Sunday, broadcast live on Sky Sports. Despite not displaying their most convincing form, the Hoops managed to secure their 13th consecutive win across all competitions, a streak that began in the closing weeks of the previous season. Post‑match reactions added further colour to the narrative.
Sky Sports analyst James McFadden highlighted the difficulty of judging close calls, stating, "When the ball is either in or out, you need definitive proof to overturn an assistant referee’s decision. In this case, the assistant judged it out, and there was no way to prove otherwise." Celtic manager Martin O'Neill, speaking to Sky Sports, admitted the performance was below expectations: "I’m not even sure what to make of the game.
We could have scored a number of goals that we didn’t. It was chaotic, and I expected someone to take responsibility and finish chances. Still, we won, which is the most important thing, and I’m pleased." St Johnstone boss Simo Valakari reflected on his side’s effort, acknowledging Celtic’s quality while lamenting missed opportunities: "We had our moments, but we knew Celtic’s threat.
We needed to capitalise on the chances we created, and we didn’t. It’s disappointing because against a team of this calibre, you don’t get many opportunities, and we failed to take them." Looking ahead, Celtic will need to sharpen their attacking edge and tighten defensive lapses if they hope to retain the title and compete on multiple fronts. The return of Kasper Hogh provides a boost to the backline, and the emergence of Baur as a goal‑scoring option adds depth to the midfield. Meanwhile, St Johnstone will aim to build on their unbeaten home record and turn their chances into goals in future fixtures.
Overall, the match served as a reminder that even dominant teams can struggle to break down disciplined opposition, and that individual moments—like Baur’s first Celtic goal—can make the difference between a hard‑fought win and a missed opportunity.