Yang Hyun-jun scored a crucial winner as Celtic came from behind to beat St Mirren 2-1 in Paisley, with the Korean's goal serving as a perfect parting gift before he departs for the Asian Games. The wide man's strike, combined with Liam Scales' equaliser, secured another three Premiership points for Martin O'Neill's side, who were given a stern test by a stylish St Mirren outfit.
St Mirren took the lead when Nikolas Agrafoitis slammed in a first-half penalty after Liam Scales hung out his arm to block Chris Mochrie's drilled effort. Celtic thought they had levelled soon after when Camilo Duran bundled in following a Yang burst into the box, but VAR ruled the goal out for offside. Goalkeeper Jacob Chapman kept Saints ahead at the break with a brilliant tip-over from Callum McGregor's fierce hit and a brave block to deny Duran.
Scales redeems himself as Celtic pile on pressure
Celtic piled on the pressure after the break, and Scales made amends for his earlier handball when he bulleted in a near-post header from Nygren's corner to level the match. St Mirren refused to roll over, with Fraser Taylor's dig deflected just wide and Mochrie skying a volley when free at the back post from a corner. But Celtic struck again with 22 minutes left when Duran won the ball high up the pitch and sent Yang through to bury his finish.
The Buddies kept coming, and substitute Luke Thomas passed up a huge chance to square the game when he slashed over the bar with minutes to go. There was more VAR drama when substitute Shim Mheuka was denied by another marginal call.
Five talking points from Paisley
No cruise control: Celtic got there in the end, but Saints proved it's not going to be a breeze this season. O'Neill's men had a fairly gentle start to the Premiership and enjoyed pretty easy wins in their first four matches. This was a different story entirely, as Celtic didn't have it all their own way and really had to dig it out as St Mirren threw the kitchen sink in a nervy finale. It wasn't a vintage display, but it might be the kind of victory O'Neill will relish the most.
Sliding Scales: The Hoops defender held his hands up for the penalty – literally. It was a slight moment of madness from the Irishman as he had his arms tucked behind his back only to throw one out at the worst possible time. There were a few awkward moments at the back during another stand-in shift at left back while Kieran Tierney recovers from injury. But for all that, Scales is always a player who refuses to hide and came on to a solid game. The defender also poses a threat in the opposition box at set pieces, where he popped up with the crucial leveller.
Wide load: Hassan is still getting up to speed but he does look a handful. How he's deployed might need some tinkering though. The Egypt World Cup star is very left-footed but it seems he's been instructed to stay wide and go on the outside. His weaker right peg is not as dangerous though, and his final ball with that foot isn't quite as pin-point. Hassan changed strategy as the game wore on and was more capable of causing damage when he started drifting inside.
Gunner be good: On the same flank as Hassan but up the other end, Ismeal Kabia is going to get Saints fans off their feet. The borrowed Arsenal youngster is an absolute flying machine. Kabia roasted Colby Donovan early on, which left the Hoops defender on a booking and walking on egg shells. His raw pace was a handy outball for McLeish's men, and it meant Celtic had to be constantly on their guard on the counter.
Saints alive: It's been a superb start to the season for the Buddies, and it's easy to see why fans are buzzing with McLeish's side. They had to withstand periods of pressure here – which was to be expected – but they also tried to play football all night. There were some lovely passages of play as they knocked the ball around, and it wasn't just tippy tappy for the sake of it. There was a real purpose about their style, and they have players who can hit at pace. This season could be a thrill ride.
