In a thrilling conclusion to the Scottish Premiership season, Celtic demonstrated their resilience and championship mettle. They came from behind twice to secure a 3-2 victory over St Mirren at Parkhead.
This victory added an exclamation point to their already successful campaign, having clinched the league title earlier in the week.
The match began with an early setback for Celtic. St Mirren’s captain Mark O’Hara capitalized on a defensive error to put the visitors ahead in the seventh minute. Celtic, undeterred, responded with an equalizer from Matt O’Riley in the 21st minute, setting the tone for a high-energy encounter.
However, the Saints quickly regained the lead when O’Hara converted a penalty. It was awarded to them after the Bhoys’ defender Stephen Welsh fouled Toyosi Olusanya in the box. The relentless pace continued, and Brendan Rodgers‘ players managed to level the score again before half-time; all thanks to Kyogo Furuhashi’s deft finish from Reo Hatate’s precise cross.
The second half saw fewer dramatic moments but maintained a palpable tension as both teams vied for control. As the clock ticked towards the final whistle, it seemed the match might end in a stalemate. However, the game’s decisive moment came in the 86th minute when Luis Palma turned in Anthony Ralston’s cross, igniting celebrations among the Celtic faithful.
Palma’s late heroics allowed manager Brendan Rodgers the opportunity to substitute veteran goalkeeper Joe Hart, giving the 37-year-old a heartfelt send-off in what marked his final league appearance. Hart has enjoyed a distinguished three-year spell in the Scottish Premiership. He will now look forward to potentially lifting his seventh trophy with the club in the upcoming Scottish Cup final against arch-rivals Rangers.
Celtic’s triumph over St Mirren capped off a remarkable season in which they secured their 54th league title, bringing them tantalizingly close to Rangers’ record of 55 titles. They clinched the title midweek with a commanding 5-0 victory over Kilmarnock, demonstrating their dominance in Scottish soccer.
While Celtic celebrated at Parkhead, Rangers ended their season with a dramatic 3-3 draw against Hearts. Lawrence Shankland initially put Hearts ahead, but Rangers fought back with goals from Ross McCausland, Todd Cantwell, and Fabio Silva.
Hearts, however, showed resilience, with Dexter Lembikisa and Kyosuke Tagawa ensuring a share of the points in stoppage time. This result halted Hearts’ five-game losing streak against Rangers and solidified their third-place finish.
In another Premiership match, Dundee and Kilmarnock played out a 1-1 draw at Dens Park. Gary MacKay-Steven gave Kilmarnock the lead, only for Luke McGowan to equalize for Dundee. The game saw late drama as Kilmarnock’s Robbie Deas received a second yellow card, reducing his team to 10 men, and McGowan missed a penalty that could have secured victory for Dundee.
As the league season concludes on Sunday, attention shifts to the bottom half of the table, where the battle for positions continues. Livingston, already relegated, will face Hibernian, while Motherwell takes on struggling St Johnstone, and Ross County meets Aberdeen in their final fixtures.
Photo credit: IMAGO / PA Images IMAGO / PA Images
