Celtic continued their early-season momentum with a hard-fought 2-1 Scottish Premiership win over St Mirren at the SMiSA Stadium on Sunday. The visitors controlled much of the play, but St Mirren’s defensive discipline and direct attacking approach made this far more than a routine afternoon for the Hoops.

How the match unfolded

Celtic enjoyed the bulk of possession from the opening whistle, knocking on the door without creating a clear sight of goal. St Mirren sat in a compact mid-block, forced play wide, and looked for opportunities to spring the offside trap. The deadlock was broken in the 32nd minute, when a patient move down Celtic’s right opened up the home defence. The final pass across the penalty area found Nicolas Kühn, who swept a first-time finish into the bottom corner for his third league goal of the season.

St Mirren responded well and grew into the match after the interval. Their equaliser arrived in the 51st minute from a loose second ball in the Celtic box; the home side reacted quickest and turned the ball in from close range, sparking a raucous reaction from the home support.

Hatate moment wins it

With St Mirren defending bravely and looking dangerous on the counter, Celtic needed a moment of quality. It came in the 76th minute through Reo Hatate, who collected a cleared header 25 yards from goal, took one touch to set himself, and bent a superb strike into the far corner beyond the reach of the St Mirren goalkeeper.

The final minutes were tense. St Mirren threw men forward and tested Celtic’s concentration with a series of long throws and crosses, but the visitors held their line to take all three points back to Glasgow.

Tactical story

Celtic’s ability to switch from patient build-up to direct penetration was central to their win. St Mirren, by contrast, looked most effective when they bypassed midfield and attacked the channels. The balance between control and chaos made the game an engaging contest, with Celtic’s individual quality ultimately proving the difference.

What it means

The result keeps Celtic near the top of the Scottish Premiership standings with a perfect start, building healthy momentum ahead of their European commitments. St Mirren will take encouragement from a strong performance, but remain in the mid-table pack as they search for consistency against the division’s biggest clubs.