Scottish Premiership
Saturday, January 30, 2021
Celtic Park, Glasgow

CELTIC… 1
(Edouard 32)

ST MIRREN… 2
(Dennis 18, Durmus 37)

Celtic suffered disappointment today (Saturday) after losing 2-1 to St Mirren at Paradise in the Scottish Premiership. Despite pulling level via Odsonne Edouard, first half goals from Kristian Dennis and Ilkay Durmus saw the Saints return to Paisley with all three points.

Both sides started the game well, passing from the back and moving the ball with intensity and positivity in their play. The first half-chance of the match fell to Celtic captain Callum McGregor after four minutes, who capped off some neat possession with an effort high of the target.

Two minutes after that, Greg Taylor and Odsonne Edouard paired well down the inside-left channel, but the Saints defence doubled up to thwart to the former’s overlap. One minutes later and it was David Turnbull and Kris Ajer whose combination play dazzled, but the Norwegian’s final ball towards Edouard in the box was intercepted.

Jamie McGrath and Kristian Dennis forced routine saves with long range efforts down the throat of Scott Bain ahead of the quarter-hour mark, as the visitors sough to catch the Hoops on the counter. And it was the latter centre-forward who broke the deadlock on 18 minutes, when he sent a good right-foot drive past Celtic stopper Bain.

From there, the Celts pressed the visitors deep as they sought to find a way back into match, with much of their play dictated by midfielder Ismaila Soro. Turnbull regularly moved the ball across the opposition penalty area, while Ajer and Taylor offered wide support at every turn.

On 32 minutes, Celtic got the break they deserved when Callum McGregor burst down the inside-left channel to feed Edouard. The Frenchman’s deft touch saw him float past his man, before he fired the ball past Jack Alnwick with clinical prowess.

The Hoops were level for just five minutes, however, when Ilkay Durmus did well to lose his man with a fine right-foot touch to the left of goal, before battering the ball past Bain with his left.

Celtic returned from the break to press the game well, forcing a handful of strong stops from Alnwick between the sticks and pushing the St Mirren backline back well into their defensive third. Credit to the visitors, however, they defended resolutely throughout and even sought to catch the home side on the break whenever the chance arose.

Despite the Hoops’ enduring pressure, clear cut chances were few and far between in the latter 45, and while the likes of Ryan Christie, Tom Rogic and Albian Ajeti offered new ideas at the top end of the pitch, Jim Goodwin’s men made it very difficult for Celtic to break down, create space and, crucially, fashion chances in front of goal.

To this end, Celtic’s best chance of the second period arrived four minutes into stoppage time when Greg Taylor sent a looping cross onto the head of advancing centre-back Shane Duffy. The Irishman connected well, but denied by a fine save from an in-form Alnwick to maintain the Saints’ 2-1 lead.

A disappointing afternoon for Neil Lennon’s men at Paradise, as they now prepare for Kilmarnock at Rugby Park in the Scottish Premiership on Tuesday.

CELTIC: Bain; Taylor, Duffy, Bitton (Welsh 46), Griffiths (Rogic 46), Soro (Christie 63), Turnbull (Johnston 82), Edouard, Elyounoussi (Ajeti 63), Ajer, McGregor
Subs not used: Barkas, Klimala, Ralston, Laxalt

ST MIRREN: Alnwick; Shaughnessy, McCarthy, McAllister (Doyle-Hayes 62), Durmus, MacPherson (Obika 74), McGrath, Dennis (Brophy 62), Connolly (Tait 85), Fraser, Erhahon
Subs not used: Lyness, Finlayson, Flynn, Henderson, Jamieson

Disappointment for Celtic after St Mirren defeat at Paradise