Full Time: Celtic 1-0 St Mirren | OneFootball

Celtic Park was packed to the rafters as 60,000 fans watched the legendary Paul McStay unfurl the league flag before kick off. The traditional unfurling marked Celtic’s 55th League title, the most achieved by any club in Scotland.

As the players took to their positions, the Green Brigade unveiled their stunning pre-match display, encompassing the full Lisbon Lions Stand – in tribute to the late great John Clark. Meanwhile, The Bhoys Ultras did likewise at the opposite end of the stadium. A minute of applause was then held in tribute to both Clark and John Fallon.

The sun beamed down on Paradise as the referee blew his whistle to commence proceedings. It was the perfect start to what proved to be a positive day for the Celts.

The Bhoys started the match with Schmeichel in goal, Johnston, Scales, CCV and Tierney across the back, Nygren, McGregor and Hatate in the midfield and Yang, Idah and Maeda up top.

A bright start saw plenty of nearly moments for both sides in the opening stages. Daizen Maeda’s dangerous runs almost producing something for Celtic.

On 13 minutes Kieran Tierney did well to beat his man with feign to turn back on the left wing, and his inviting cross was headed goalwards by Idah. The Irishman couldn’t generate the necessary power to beat the goalkeeper but the move prompted an outburst of ‘The best left back in Scotland’ from the terraces. Moments later, Hatate’s turn and crisp pass forward almost had Idah in on goal, then Tierney once more found the striker with a stunning cross that Idah out over the bar. The Linesman had his flag raised but replays showed he was onside and thus VAR would have been expected to intervene if the ball had found its way into the net.

In the 17th minute, quick thinking by Callum McGregor put Maeda one on one with the keeper. The Japanese forward rounded the keeper but elected to cross for Yang rather than roll the ball into an empty net. It was a decision that meant St Mirren escaped conceding.

Thereafter, Celtic began turning the screw. Fast, one touch passing was the way of things, but with just the final ball lacking. A golden chance presented itself on 27 minutes when Johnston’s deep cross found Tierney at the back post and the Scottish full back’s tantalising volley across the six yard box was diverted for a corner by Gogic, with Idah on his heels rather than pouncing to score.

Just prior the interval, another opportunity came Idah’s way. He did well to take the ball on his chest and work a yard of space but scuffed his finish into the ground.

In added time, Daizen Maeda skinned his marker and made a low cross on his left foot, which Nygren thundered across the bar, via the goalkeeper’s hand.

It was 0-0 at the break. Celtic were firmly in the ascendancy, with a number of dangerous crosses flying across the box. Someone just needed to go and attack the ball to put the Hoops in front.

The curtain was raised on the second half in the same way as it was before the first – with the Green Brigade unveiling a tribute to a fallen Celtic hero. This time it was John Fallon who was remembered, with a banner depicting him in goal for the Hoops, covering the North Curve.

Celtic began the second 45 on the front foot. Callum McGregor stung the hands of the goalkeeper, and Yang was too slow to snatch a goal on the rebound. St Mirren did hit on the break to remind the hosts that they were still in the game, albeit their occasional efforts were tamely struck and posed to no threat to Kasper in the Celtic goal.

The next key moment came in bizarre fashion, just shy of the hour mark. It was then that a poor shot from Hatate took a wild deflection and struck the post after looping over the helpless goalkeeper. After that, Brendan had seen enough and he decided to bring James Forrest on for Yang, who had another quiet game. The legendary winger immediately drove at his opposite number and won a corner kick, which was taken short and simply produced another set piece. The second one was floated in to the box and a skirmish ensued which produced a strong penalty shout for handball. Referee Don Robertson decided nothing doing.

As the crowd grew frustrated, Alistair Johnston overlapped Forrest and produced a poor cross, which saw Idah pick up a booking for following in on the keeper. And matters went from bad to worse for the Hoops as Tierney had to be replaced before play could resume. Much has been made of Tierney’s injury problems and he could only manage 64 minutes before having to be replaced by Trusty.

The air of frustration was evident and the crowd fell quiet. Almost immediately, St Mirren broke up the park and forced a corner from Liam Scales who was now occupying the left back position.

All that frustration was relieved when the corner was cleared as far as Forrest who embarked on a driving run and despite squandering his reverse pass, McGregor was on hand to win back possession and fire a volley into the corner of the net from the edge of the box. However, that goal was controversially disallowed for handball. With the woodwork struck twice, a penalty claim denied and a goal disallowed – Celtic could be forgiven for thinking this wasn’t going to be their day.

Fortunately, 20 minutes still remained. On 73 minutes, Liam Scales drifted forward and flighted a cross to Idah. The Irishman chested the ball down and smashed a volley against the post from five yards. Only he will know how he managed to miss from there.

Moments later, both teams made a triple substitution. Celtic’s changes saw Kenny, McCowan and Engels come on for Nygren, Hatate and Idah.

With little over 10 minutes left on the clock, St Mirren almost stole the points with a chance from nothing. New subs combined when Mooney latched onto a long ball and squared to Smyth who passed up a golden opportunity with a free shot from 12 yards. In reply, James Forrest burst up the wing and crossed for Kenny to tap home but the Saints defender incredibly managed to clear on the slide.

The pressure was really on now and Celtic responded by piling forward. McCowan linked with Johnston but failed to find the net as body after body was thrown in front of the ball.

A good opportunity came the way of James Forrest with a few minutes remaining but his left footed volley flew high over the bar. It was, finally, down to Luke McCowan to find the winner in the 87th minute when he received a pass from Maeda on the edge of the box. A shuffle to the left and a low drive into the corner, via a slight deflection, was enough to give the Hoops a lead that they more than deserved.

Five minutes were added at the end of the game. Thankfully, those 300 seconds were eventless at the Celtic end and the Hoops took the points to become just the second SPFL side to record a victory on the opening weekend, along with Hibernian.

That said, Daizen Maeda could have made things easier in the game’s dying embers when Johnston sent him through but the winger missed a one on one. That miss was, in many ways, the story of the match.

Full time: Celtic 1-0 St Mirren