Celtic fought back to secure a 2-1 victory over St Mirren in the Scottish Premiership, with Yang Hyun-jun scoring the winning goal. The result keeps the champions top of the table with a perfect record of five wins from five matches, as reported by The Guardian.
Liam Scales conceded a penalty for Celtic via a handball in the first half, but he redeemed himself by heading an equaliser just six minutes after the interval. The decisive moment arrived later when Camilo Durán's pressing forced an error, allowing Yang Hyun-jun to finish and complete the turnaround. St Mirren, who suffered their first league defeat of the campaign, tested Celtic with 19 shots at goal.
How did Celtic's comeback unfold?
The match presented a significant challenge for the league leaders. St Mirren, managed by Martin O'Neill, took the lead from the penalty spot after Scales handled the ball in the area. Celtic's response after halftime was swift. Scales connected powerfully with a corner to level the score, shifting the momentum. The winning goal was a product of relentless work, with Durán harassing defenders to create the chance for Yang to strike.
This win extends Celtic's remarkable start. They now sit first in the Premiership with 15 points from five games, boasting a recent form of five consecutive wins. Their goal difference stands at an impressive +10, having scored 13 and conceded just three this season.
What does Yang's absence mean for Celtic?
The match-winning contribution from Yang Hyun-jun comes with an immediate consequence. The 24-year-old winger will now depart to represent South Korea at the Asian Games, ruling him out of several important fixtures. According to the report, he will miss the midweek trip to St Johnstone, both league meetings with Rangers, and the Europa League group opener against Ferencvaros.
Manager Martin O'Neill acknowledged the loss, telling The Guardian, "We are going to miss him. He's in really fine form at the moment. But he's signed off with a brilliant goal." His absence adds to Celtic's selection concerns, with Alistair Johnston, Callum Osmand, Kasper Høgh, Kieran Tierney, and Jota all currently sidelined, as shown on the club's injuries list.
What happened elsewhere in the Premiership?
The weekend's action saw significant results across the league. Rangers recorded a third straight win, beating Motherwell 1-0 thanks to a Ryan Naderi goal just four minutes after he replaced the injured Lawrence Shankland. Hearts continued their strong form with a dramatic 2-1 win over Dundee, a stoppage-time goal from Sabah Kerjota sealing a fourth consecutive league victory that keeps them second, three points behind Celtic.
Dundee United scored a late equaliser through Michael Forbes to draw 1-1 with Falkirk, while Kilmarnock earned their first point of the season in a 0-0 draw with Aberdeen despite Aaron Tshibola's late red card. St Johnstone moved into seventh place after a 2-1 win over Hibernian, powered by a first-half double from Josh Fowler.
Celtic's next challenge is a home fixture against Hibernian on December 12th. You can view the full upcoming schedule on the club's fixtures page. The team currently holds a three-point lead at the summit, a position detailed in the latest standings.
