Celtic managed to overturn an early setback and preserve the momentum of their opening triumph in the Scottish Premiership campaign, while St Mirren suffered the first loss of their season. The clash in Paisley featured the only two unbeaten clubs in the top division, with the Buddies eager to extend their impressive start and claim the league's summit.
Their initial burst was promising, as they quickly took the lead. The turning point arrived when a clear handball by Liam Scales, who attempted to block a strike from Chris Mochrie, forced the referee to point to the spot.
Nikolas Agrafiotis stepped up and calmly slotted the penalty, restoring parity for the visitors. Celtic appeared to have taken the lead shortly thereafter 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 score level once more. Both sides continued to create chances. Callum McGregor, Hussain Hassan and Yang each missed opportunities, but Scales redeemed his earlier mistake by rising above the defence to head home Mika Baur's corner, giving Celtic a 2‑1 advantage.
Duran then supplied a neat pass to Yang, who finished neatly past goalkeeper Jacob Chapman, sealing Celtic's comeback and allowing them to withstand a resilient St Mirren that kept pushing for an equaliser. In stoppage time, new signing Shim Mhueka thought he had secured his first goal for the club, only for the assistant referee to signal off‑side, nullifying the effort. The result marked a perfect five‑for‑five start for the champions, who now sit five points clear at the top of the table. Key moments of the match included: - 18′ – A long‑range effort from Taylor was saved by Sinisalo.
- 19′ – Penalty awarded to St Mirren after Mochrie's shot struck Scales' arm; the spot‑kick was taken. - 22′ – Sinisalo saved a powerful shot from Agrafiotis that rattled 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; Chapman kept the ball out. - 42′ – Hassan's cross reached Duran, but the Buddies' keeper intervened. - 48′ – Hassan delivered a brilliant ball to Yang, who inexplicably sent it over the bar. - 51′ – Scales headed in from Baur's corner, redeeming his earlier error.
- 55′ – Scales headed another corner wide. - 64′ – Nygren fed Yang, whose shot was blocked by Ramsay. - 68′ – Duran won the ball, Yang beat Chapman one‑on‑one and scored. - 74′ – Sinisalo saved a close‑range chance from Thomas.
- 86′ – Thomas missed a six‑yard chance, shooting over the bar. - 90+3′ – Mhueka's late goal was disallowed after a VAR check. Post‑match analysis from Sky Sports' former player James McFadden highlighted Celtic's deserved win, noting their superior pressure, possession and conversion of chances. He praised St Mirren for adhering to Craig McLeish's game plan, staying open, taking risks, and attempting to draw Celtic out of their shape.
"They were brave," McFadden said, "and you could see exactly what McLeish wants his side to do." Former Celtic captain Jackie McNamara called the result fair, commending St Mirren's persistence. He observed that Celtic lost a bit of momentum when the wingers dropped deeper late in the game, but ultimately the visitors earned the three points. St Mirren manager Craig McLeish, speaking to Sky Sports, reflected on his squad's progress: "It shows how far we've come as a group.
The boys are disappointed not to have taken a point, but we created 19 shots, which is a good sign of our threat throughout the match. The goals we conceded are disappointing, yet Celtic also had their chances.
We must dust ourselves off and move on – there’s always another game around the corner." Celtic boss Martin O'Neill admitted the evening was challenging: "We created chances but lacked fluency. We had to dig deep at the end, coming from behind against a team in great form. They played splendidly for periods, but we saw it through, which was great." He also addressed the impending loss of Hyun Jun Yang to South Korean international duty, describing him as a major blow due to his defensive work rate and recent form. "He leaves now after a sparkling start, we will miss him badly," O'Neill added.
Overall, the match showcased a high‑tempo, attacking spectacle with both sides demonstrating intent. Celtic's ability to respond after conceding, combined with their defensive resilience in the closing stages, underlined why they remain the early favourites for the title.
St Mirren, despite the defeat, displayed a commendable fighting spirit, generating numerous chances and proving they can challenge the league leaders. The result sets the tone for the rest of the season, with Celtic aiming to extend their lead and St Mirren seeking to bounce back quickly.