Celtic begin title defence with 1-0 win at Paradise

Scottish PremiershipSunday, August 3, 2025Celtic Park CELTIC…1(McCowan 87) ST MIRREN…0  Celtic started season 2025/26 with a well deserved 1-0 win over St Mirren at Paradise thanks to a Luke McCowan goal late in the game. Before the match, the Maestro, Paul McStay received a brilliant reception from the Celtic Park faithful as he unfurled the league flag to get the season underway. There was then an emotional tribute to Lisbon Lions, John Clark and John Fallon, with the entire stadium joining in a moment’s applause in memory of both Celtic legends. From the first whistle, Celtic looked hungry and played with the attacking intent that Brendan Rodgers demands from his side. Only a few minutes in to the match, Kieran Tierney showed his quality as he sent a clever pass over the top of the St Mirren defence for Daizen Maeda, but the Japanese forward was unable to bring it under control. Tierney’s attacking qualities were on show again 10 minutes later as he sent two excellent crosses in to the box for Adam Idah, but the Irish forward was unable to divert them in to the net. Celtic’s first big chance came just shy of 20 minutes gone. Callum McGregor took a quick free kick in the middle of the pitch and released Daizen Maeda, who raced through on goal. Daizen rounded the goalkeeper before flashing the ball across the face of goal, and any touch at all would have diverted the ball in to the net but St Mirren survived and the score remained level. At the back, Celtic were resolute, with Cameron Carter-Vickers and Liam Scales putting in brilliant performances and dealing with any threat that St Mirren posed. Kasper Schmeichel was called in to action just after the half-hour mark when Mark O’Hara curled an effort towards goal from distance. The Danish keeper was alert and sharp as he flew to his left and pushed the ball wide of the target. Just before the half-time whistle, Benjamin Nygren was left wondering how he hadn’t given Celtic the lead, as he smashed an effort towards goal which the visitors’ keeper somehow managed to push up on to the crossbar to keep the score level at the break.Celtic started the second half with the same intensity they had shown throughout the first 45 minutes, and early in the half Callum McGregor drew a good save from Shamal George as he fired a low effort towards the bottom corner from outside the area. The captain, who put in a Man of the Match winning performance, thought he had given the Celts the lead with 20 minutes to go when he capitalised on a defensive error and slammed the ball home from the edge of the box. It looked like a perfectly legitimate goal, but after a VAR review, the strike was ruled out for a handball from McGregor, much to the surprise of everyone inside Celtic Park. The Hoops continued to pile the pressure on to the visitors, hitting the crossbar and forcing the Saints’ keeper in to some good saves, and as the clock ticked on, it began to look like the game might be heading for a goalless draw. A huge block 10 minutes from time from Alistair Johnston prevented St Mirren from taking the lead through Oisin Smyth, who fired a shot towards goal from 12 yards out after some direct play from the visitors on the right wing. With only a few minutes of the 90 remaining, Daizen Maeda found Luke McCowan on the edge of the box with a good pass. McCowan stepped on to his left and hit a shot which took a deflection and left the keeper with no chance of keeping the ball out of the net. That finish gave the Celts a deserved lead and the sense of relief inside the stadium was palpable, as the champions kicked off the season with a well-earned three points. Brendan Rodgers and his men will now prepare for a trip to the North-East next Sunday where they will face Aberdeen at Pittodrie.FixturesCeltic Vs. St. Mirren – Sun, Aug 3rd 2025, 16:30