St. Mirren 0-1 Celtic: Post-match review, Stats, Key moments

Dive into Coral’s post-match review of St. Mirren 0-1 Celtic in the Premiership on Saturday, 22 November 2025, with stats, key moments and our take on the match.

In a tightly contested Premiership encounter at the SMiSA Stadium, St. Mirren and Celtic battled to a goalless first half with both sides struggling to create clear-cut chances. The hosts showed resilience in defence, picking up yellow cards for Marcus Fraser in the 19th minute and Alexander Gogić in the 76th minute, while Celtic's Sebastian Tounekti was booked in the 41st minute. Substitutions began to influence the flow, with Celtic making a change at half-time as L. McCowan replaced J. Kenny, and further adjustments followed for both teams as the match wore on.

The second half saw Celtic dominate possession but St. Mirren held firm, with tactical switches including J. Ayunga replacing D. N'Lundulu for the hosts at 67' and Yang Hyun-Jun coming on for S. Tounekti for the visitors at the same time. Late changes included F. Taylor replacing C. McMenamin at 81' and R. King for J. Richardson at 82' for St. Mirren, while Celtic brought on B. Nygren for A. Ralston and D. Murray for K. Tierney at 72', followed by C. Donovan replacing A. Engels at 85'. Despite the efforts, neither side could find a breakthrough, resulting in a hard-fought 0-0 draw that reflected the defensive solidity on display.

Celtic's commanding 73% possession underlined their control of the game, allowing them to dictate the tempo and limit St. Mirren to just 27% of the ball, which forced the hosts into a more reactive approach that ultimately contributed to the stalemate. The visitors edged the corner count with 4 to St. Mirren's 2, indicating more attacking territory, yet St. Mirren remarkably led in successful dribbles with 67 compared to Celtic's 46, suggesting effective individual skill in breaking lines despite their limited possession. Discipline-wise, St. Mirren received 2 yellow cards while Celtic had 1, with no red cards or yellow/red incidents for either side, and the lack of injury-time goals or penalties taken meant the match remained goalless, though Celtic recorded 1 assist against St. Mirren's 0, hinting at a missed opportunity in the final third.

Substitutions played a key role in attempting to shift momentum, with St. Mirren utilising 4 changes—including J. Ayunga replacing D. N'Lundulu at 67', F. Taylor for C. McMenamin at 81', R. King for J. Richardson at 82', and L. Donnelly for K. Baccus at 90+3'—to inject fresh energy into their efforts. Celtic, meanwhile, made 5 substitutions, starting with L. McCowan replacing J. Kenny at 46', followed by Yang Hyun-Jun for S. Tounekti at 67', B. Nygren for A. Ralston and D. Murray for K. Tierney at 72', and C. Donovan for A. Engels at 85', which helped maintain their dominance but failed to produce a winning goal.

The match's tension built around disciplinary actions and tactical adjustments, with St. Mirren defender Marcus Fraser receiving a yellow card early in the 19th minute for a robust challenge, setting a combative tone. Celtic's Sebastian Tounekti was cautioned in the 41st minute for a similar infraction, adding to the midfield battle, while Alexander Gogić's booking for St. Mirren at 76' highlighted the increasing pressure as the game progressed. A pivotal late substitution saw C. Donovan come on for Celtic at 85', injecting pace that nearly paid dividends.

The decisive moment arrived in the 90th minute when Celtic captain C. McGregor scored a normal goal, assisted by the freshly substituted C. Donovan, breaking the deadlock and securing a crucial victory for the visitors. Impactful changes, such as Yang Hyun-Jun replacing the booked Tounekti at 67' for Celtic and J. Ayunga coming on for D. N'Lundulu at the same time for St. Mirren, altered the dynamics but it was the late strike that proved the turning point in an otherwise cagey affair.

St. Mirren lined up in a solid 3-5-2 formation, emphasising defensive organisation with wing-backs providing width and support to the front pair. The back three, including players like Marcus Fraser and Alexander Gogić, formed a resilient partnership that effectively contained Celtic's attacks for much of the game. Midfield partnerships focused on breaking up play, allowing occasional counter-attacks through dribbling prowess.

Celtic deployed a dynamic 4-3-3 shape, with a strong emphasis on possession and wide play to stretch the opposition. The midfield trio, anchored by figures like C. McGregor, provided control and creativity, while the forward line benefited from overlapping runs from full-backs such as A. Ralston and K. Tierney before their substitutions. This setup facilitated their dominance in ball retention and created opportunities through assists in the attacking third.

Celtic's C. McGregor was the standout performer and deservedly Man of the Match for his leadership and composure throughout, culminating in a crucial goal at 90' that decided the contest. His ability to dictate the tempo in midfield, combined with precise passing that led to the assist opportunity, highlighted his influence despite the team's overall dominance not yielding earlier rewards. McGregor's experience proved vital in a match where fine margins made the difference.

Recent Premiership matches:

• Loss: 0-1 vs Celtic (H)
• Loss: 0-3 vs Hibernian (H)
• Draw: 2-2 vs Hearts (H)
• Loss: 1-3 vs Dundee United (A)
• Loss: 0-1 vs Aberdeen (H)

Recent Premiership matches:

• Win: 1-0 vs St. Mirren (A)
• Win: 4-0 vs Kilmarnock (H)
• Win: 4-0 vs Falkirk (H)
• Loss: 1-3 vs Hearts (A)
• Loss: 0-2 vs Dundee (A)

St. Mirren find themselves in ninth position with 10 points after this narrow defeat, extending a winless run that includes recent losses to Hibernian and a draw with Hearts, putting pressure on them to bounce back. They face Dundee, who sit just below in 11th with nine points, in a crucial league clash on 29 November at 15:00, offering a chance to climb the table with a positive result against closely matched opposition.

Celtic hold second place with 26 points following this hard-fought win, building on impressive victories over Kilmarnock and Falkirk to maintain their strong form at the top end of the table. Their next challenge comes against Feyenoord on 27 November at 17:45, a fixture that will test their credentials in European competition against opponents whose current standing remains to be confirmed.

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