Celtic Punish St Mirren in Seven-Goal Thriller to Close in on Title

Celtic moved another step closer to retaining the Scottish Premiership title with a pulsating 5-2 victory over St Mirren in Paisley, extending their lead at the top of the table to 16 points. With just three more wins required to seal a fourth consecutive championship, Brendan Rodgers’ side could wrap up the title as early as the first week of April if they overcome Rangers and Hearts in their next two fixtures before heading to Perth to face St Johnstone. St Mirren, however, did not make it easy for the champions-elect, twice clawing their way back into the contest before Celtic’s superior squad depth proved decisive. A late brace from Yang Hyun-jun, either side of a fine Daizen Maeda strike, secured a hard-fought but ultimately emphatic victory for the visitors. Maeda, in sensational form, netted his 13th goal in 12 games, while Yang’s electric two-goal cameo will give Rodgers plenty to consider ahead of the upcoming title-defining fixtures. Celtic edged in front at the break thanks to Jeffrey Schlupp’s first goal for the club, clinically steering the ball inside the post, and an Arne Engels penalty. Sandwiched between was a stunning free-kick from St Mirren’s Declan John, a curling effort that left Kasper Schmeichel with no chance. The Celtic goalkeeper was called into action twice in quick succession before the interval, denying Toyosi Olusanya one-on-one and then reacting superbly to keep out a Mark O’Hara effort. The second half saw further drama as Ryan Alebiousu, having earlier conceded the penalty, redeemed himself by setting up Killian Phillips for a thunderous equaliser that bounced into the net beyond a helpless Schmeichel. However, Celtic’s bench ultimately made the difference. Yang’s introduction injected fresh energy and creativity, and his impact was instant. The South Korean winger assisted Maeda for a cool finish before adding two goals of his own to put the game beyond doubt. Substitute Luke McCowan also struck the post in a vibrant late spell for the visitors. St Mirren Show Fight but Fall Short Manager Stephen Robinson will take pride in his team’s effort despite the defeat. His side pressed Celtic aggressively, created several clear-cut chances, and forced Schmeichel into multiple fine saves. However, they will rue the needless penalty concession that gave Celtic a foothold in the match. Despite the loss, St Mirren remain well in the hunt for a top-six finish, with performances like this proving they are more than capable of competing with the league’s elite. Celtic’s Strength in Depth Shines Through For Rodgers’ side, this was another demonstration of their relentless pursuit of success. Even on a difficult surface and against a stubborn opponent, Celtic’s quality prevailed. Callum McGregor’s rare substitution did little to disrupt their rhythm, with McCowan adding energy and attacking intent. Jota and Yang further tipped the balance in Celtic’s favour, their introductions stretching St Mirren’s tiring defence. Schlupp will be buoyed by his first goal for the club, while Engels continues to impress in his debut season with his 10th goal of the campaign. With a Scottish Cup tie against Hibernian up next, followed by the crunch league showdown with Rangers, Celtic’s momentum remains firmly intact. What They Said St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson: “I don’t think many teams press Celtic like that or create that many chances, but we didn’t take enough of them. That’s been the story of our season – we can’t afford a striker that gets 20 goals. There are very good aspects to that performance, but we want to come away with three points.” Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers: “I think it’s one of my favourite results of the season, coming to St Mirren, who have put in some really strong performances. It’s a brilliant three points for us. Our attacking play was excellent. On a difficult surface, the players were technically superb.”

Motherwell Stun Rangers as Ferguson’s Ibrox Return Ends in Defeat

Motherwell inflicted a third successive home defeat on Rangers, delivering a humbling blow to interim boss Barry Ferguson’s return to Ibrox. First-half strikes from Luke Armstrong and Tom Sparrow secured a memorable win for the visitors, marking only their second league triumph over Rangers in 61 attempts—the previous one also coming at Ibrox last season. Controversy struck late on when Cyriel Dessers had a second goal disallowed for offside, despite replays proving inconclusive as to whether Danilo had interfered with play. Early Expectations Dashed Optimism filled the air pre-match, with home fans buoyed by their side’s comeback victory at Kilmarnock. But any belief in a Rangers resurgence was swiftly dismantled as Motherwell struck early. A defensive calamity saw goalkeeper Jack Butland attempt to release Dessers, only for the forward to be dispossessed in a dangerous area. Dan Casey latched onto the loose ball, Butland parried his effort weakly, and Armstrong pounced to tap home. Initially ruled out for offside, the goal was reinstated by VAR as Armstrong’s run had been perfectly timed. Motherwell, brimming with confidence, carved out another opportunity when Callum Slattery’s cut-back found Sparrow, who narrowly missed from a tight angle. The midfielder wouldn’t be denied a second time. Lennon Miller’s clever play on the left teed up Slattery once more, who picked out Sparrow unmarked in the box—this time, his finish was emphatic. Rangers toiled in response, their play disjointed and uninspired. Dessers came closest, smashing the side-netting from a promising position, before the familiar sound of half-time boos echoed around Ibrox. A Glimmer of Hope, Then More Frustration Ferguson, seeking an instant impact, made three changes at the break. Rangers did improve, but their urgency still lacked the cutting edge required. Dessers capitalised on Casey’s hesitation to halve the deficit, sparking a rally from the hosts. Then came the defining moment of the match. Dessers thought he had levelled, bundling home after a flick-on from Danilo, but the offside flag was raised. Replays failed to offer clarity, yet the goal was chalked off, leaving Rangers furious. James Tavernier, making his 500th appearance for the club, had one last chance to salvage a draw, but he blazed over from a promising position as Motherwell held firm. Rangers’ Ibrox Woes Continue Ferguson’s highly anticipated homecoming ended in bitter disappointment, the same frailties that plagued his predecessors glaringly evident. Having now suffered home defeats to Queen’s Park, St Mirren, and Motherwell, serious concerns loom over Rangers’ inability to assert dominance at Ibrox. The Dessers decision will be debated, but the reality is Rangers fell short once again. Sloppy passing, lost duels, and individual errors proved costly. With a daunting Europa League clash against Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahçe on the horizon, Ferguson must hope for a vastly improved display. Motherwell’s Statement Win While Rangers’ deficiencies stole the headlines, Motherwell’s performance deserved equal credit. Organised, resolute, and fearless, they executed Michael Wimmer’s game plan to perfection. Their defensive structure frustrated Rangers, while their clinical edge in the first half proved decisive. Wimmer had called for a fight, and his players delivered, winning crucial battles and showing composure under pressure. The visitors may have had to dig deep late on, but their second consecutive victory could be transformative in their push for a top-six finish. What They Said Rangers interim manager Barry Ferguson: “There’s clearly a problem playing at home. We need to get to the bottom of it. I told the players the fans would back them if they showed passion—I didn’t see enough of that. But I’ll give everything to fix it.” Motherwell manager Michael Wimmer: “We wanted to change the atmosphere at Ibrox, and the players executed that brilliantly. We were brave, pressed well, and showed courage on the ball. I’m extremely proud of them.”  

Dour draw at Dens Park as Saints hold Dundee

Far from being a nail-biter, it looked as though there was a real danger a game of football was going to break out at Dens Park as neither side registered any opportunities of note for nearly forty minutes with the spoils shared on the day. However with the break fast approaching, play burst into life as Makenzie Kirk met a Sam Curtis cross to give visitors a lead, albeit hardly a surprising one. What did catch fans off guard was the response from Tony Docherty’s men, the players looking as subdued as the supporters themselves were awoken as Simon Murray levelled after Joe Shaughnessy’s flick on from Aaron Donnelly’s throw in for his 11th league goal of the season. Adama Sidibeh will not doubt be kicking himself into Monday as he let a golden opportunity pass through his feet, unable to set himself a yard out from goal to give his side the opener in the first-half. With arguably an even greater opportunity was Murray, who profited from a lapse in concentration from Trevor Carson who picked up a back pass just a few metres from his goal line. As St Johnstone camped out on their line to defend, Murray opted for a low driven shot that was blocked by the rushing line of defence to spare the keeper’s blushes. After providing the crucial assist, Curtis would see his header saved off the line in a second-half as both sides struggled to land the killer blow. Against the run of play an excellent driving run from Cesar Garza teed up substitute Scott Tiffoney who lashed a shot past an oblivious Carson, who no doubt exhaled a huge sigh of relief as it rattled his post. A point shared, both sides remain at the bottom of the table. The hosts looking to earn their first win in nine away to Dundee United next week as St Johnstone host Aberdeen. Reliance on Murray a worry Where once the striker was face of a side with resilience and threats from all angles of the park, Simon Murray has suddenly morphed into becoming the entire body. No doubt fatigue is rearing its head as a congested month takes its toll. Seven games in the last four weeks would sap even the best stocked clubs. But with a threadbare squad, barely strenghthened in the window, there was an alarming lack of impetus from Tony Docherty’s players. Then came Murray, with his 17th goal in all competitions, the Dundee native prowled the box and found his opening. Not that he needs much of one anyway. A point is not the end of the world, but it marks 1 from a possible 17 as the side continue to sleep walk into relegation. If they do not snap out of it soon, there won’t be a whole lot their talisman forward will be able to do to prevent a drop to the Championship. Saints find new edge It may not be three points, but compared to their performance 3-1 defeat in early January the last time these sides met this might as well feel like six. A crux of the progressive style of football Simo Valakari pushes for has been the side’s soft underbelly, threatening to undermine any positive play at a moment’s notice. Drawing a Dens Park feels a positive step, albeit teething issues in their development remain. Conceding just five minutes after scoring is endemic of a wider problem for the side that allowed Hearts to score four minutes after Sidibeh had levelled. Despite picking up a respectable 10 points from 18, the players will need no reminding that they remain six from safety. However, Valakari has emphasised that we are observing the building blocks of a foundation being laid, they will need to work double speed if they are to withstand the whirlwind that is the bottom half.   Line-ups: Dundee: Carson, Larkeche, Donnelly, Shaughnessy (c), McGhee, Garza, Sylla (Robertson 46), Mulligan (Reilly 72), Cameron, Murray, Adewumi (Tiffoney 72) Unused subs: Astley, Samuels, Ingram, López, McCracken, Sharp Booked: Garza Goals: Murray (45) St Johnstone: Fisher, Douglas, Mitchell, Balodis, Wright, Holt (Svedgberg 63), Sprangler (c), Curtis, Duke-McKenna, Sidibeh (Clark 77), Kirk (Carey 63) Unused subs: Franczak, McPake, Sinclair, Smith, Steven, Watt Booked: Goals: Kirk (40) Referee: Steven McLean Attendance: 7,681