Mika Baur celebrated his inaugural strike for Celtic as the Scottish champions extended their flawless start to the current Premiership campaign to six matches. The victory came against St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park, a venue where the hosts have remained unbeaten this season, but Celtic managed to keep their lead at the summit, staying five points ahead of Rangers. The match arrived amid a congested fixture list for Celtic, with a Europa League encounter and an Old Firm double—both cup and league—looming on the horizon. Manager Martin O'Neill responded by rotating his squad, making five changes to the starting eleven.
Goalkeeper Sam Johnstone, who is on loan from an English club, returned to the line, while defender Kasper Høgh recovered from injury and reclaimed his place between the posts. The changes paid off early when Johnstone produced a spectacular reflex save to deny Joel Cotterill, who was making his first start for St Johnstone, from a low cross. The first half was largely a battle of chances, with the hosts enjoying a few moments of pressure but failing to convert. Celtic’s attacking thrust was led by Egyptian international Haissem Hassan, whose pace and movement troubled the Saint’s defence.
In the second half, the breakthrough finally arrived when Baur tapped home a low cross from Hassan. The goal was a simple finish—Baur positioned himself well inside the box, met the ball cleanly, and slipped it past Johnstone, marking his first goal in a Celtic shirt. Soon after, the Egyptian forward appeared poised to double the lead, but the ball was ruled out of play before it could be headed back in by Høgh, nullifying what would have been a second goal for the champions. The decision sparked a brief discussion among the commentators about the precision of the assistant referee’s line judgment.
St Johnstone, who have been difficult to beat at home this season, pressed for an equaliser and created several opportunities. Their striker Nygren found space on the edge of the box and saw his shot cleared by Celtic defender Steward, while forward Diabate saw a powerful effort hooked off the line by Donovan.
Despite these chances, the Saints could not break the deadlock, and Celtic’s defensive unit held firm. The match featured a series of notable moments that were highlighted in the broadcast commentary.
At the 5‑minute mark, Hassan’s early attempt was saved brilliantly by the Saints’ keeper, who managed to turn the ball away as Celtic sought an opening. At 19 minutes, Cotterill appeared certain to score from a low cross by Alic, only for Johnstone to palm the ball away at the last instant. Later, at 31 minutes, a corner from Campbell was deflected past McGregor before Steward intervened with a punch. The first half concluded with a series of close calls, including a blocked cross from Tounekti at 44 minutes and a missed chance by McAlear at 47 minutes.
The second half opened with Baur’s goal at the 52‑minute mark, a moment that sparked celebrations among the Celtic supporters. However, the joy was tempered when a subsequent goal was disallowed at 66 minutes because the ball had gone out of play before Høgh headed it back to Hassan. The decision was confirmed after a brief review, and the score remained 1‑0. Both managers gave candid post‑match interviews.
O'Neill, speaking to Sky Sports, admitted that the performance was far from the team’s best display. He noted, "We could have scored a number of goals we didn’t. It was a chaotic game, and I expected someone to take responsibility and finish the chances we created." He praised Johnstone’s early save, saying it prevented St Johnstone from taking the lead, and expressed satisfaction with the win, emphasizing its importance in maintaining the league lead. St Johnstone’s boss Simo Valakari reflected on his side’s performance, acknowledging that Celtic’s quality made it difficult to dominate possession.
He said, "We had our moments, but Celtic’s threat in the final third is always present. The question is whether we can survive those moments and capitalize on the chances we create.
Today we didn’t take enough of those chances, and that is the disappointment of the evening." Sky Sports analyst James McFadden weighed in on the controversial disallowed goal, highlighting the difficulty of determining whether the ball was in or out without definitive video evidence. He explained, "The assistant referee made a call based on his line of sight, and without clear proof we can’t overturn that decision." Overall, Celtic’s win marked their 13th consecutive victory across all competitions, a streak that stretches back to the closing weeks of the previous season. The triumph keeps them five points clear of Rangers, who they will meet in their next league fixture on the following Sunday, a match that will be broadcast live on Sky Sports. The upcoming schedule also includes a Europa League tie and the highly anticipated Old Firm clashes, meaning O'Neill will likely continue to rotate his squad to manage player fatigue.
Fans of Celtic can look forward to a busy few weeks as the team balances domestic and European commitments, while St Johnstone will regroup and aim to bounce back in their next league game, hoping to convert the chances they created against the champions into points.