ST MIRREN 2 CELTIC 5
CELTIC had to scrap and fight all the way in Paisley this evening for the victory that pushed them SIXTEEN points ahead at the Premiership pinnacle.
And the star of the show was winger Yang Hyun-jun who came off the substitutes’ bench to score two superb goals that made certain of the triumph during a rollercoaster encounter.
The South Korean ace joined Jeffrey Schlupp, Arnie Engels, with an expertly-taken penalty-kick, and deadly Daizen Maeda to floor a Saints team who had snarled and growled from the first minute.
Auston Trusty didn’t even last beyond the 27th-minute mark when he had to be helped off with a head wound after the hosts produced another anticipated up-and-at-’em display.
They attempted to hustle the Hoops out of their stride as they contested every ball with vim and vigour.
HEAD BHOY…Yang Hyun-jun strikes for one of his double in Paisley.
Trusty was involved in a sickening mid-air collision that saw the groggy central defender led off to be replaced by Liam Scales.
It was one of those evenings where Brendan Rodgers’ men knew they would have to stand up and be counted to get the job done.
A minute after the removal of Trusty and the introduction of Scales, the champions took the lead with an absolute belter from Schlupp.
Alistair Johnston and Nicolas Kuhn were involved as the ball moved from right to left in a swift move by the visitors.
The German winger slipped a pass to the on-loan Crystal Palace defender, who controlled the ball in an instant before letting fly from 16 yards.
His angled drive whipped low past the diving Zach Hemming, clattered off the inside of the left-hand post and ricocheted into the back of the net.
It was a fairly memorable debut strike for the Hoops.
NUMBER ONE…Jeffrey Schlupp watches as his low shot sizzles past Zach Hemming for the opening goal and his first strike for Celtic.
However, it was nullified in 33rd minute when Scales was adjudged to have fouled a Saints attacker just outside the box. The decision could have gone the other way after the coming-together of two committed players, but the home team were given the benefit of the doubt.
Kasper Schmeichel, who had coped excellently with two other moments of danger earlier in the game, didn’t stand a chance as Declan John’s thundering left-foot effort thudded into his net off the underside of the crossbar high up to his left.
An army of goalkeepers couldn’t have prevented that deadball strke from reaching its destination.
Celtic recovered their composure and were awarded a penalty-kick in the 44th minute after Maeda had been sent tumbling to the ground following a wayward challenge from Ryan Alebiosu.
Referee Matthew McDermid had no option but to point to the spot and Engels swept it down the middle as Hemming took off for his left.
SPOT ON…Arne Engels makes no mistake with his penalty-kick.
But Stephen Robinson’s battlers were all-square again three minutes after the interval with a fluke strike from Kiaran Phillips.
Johnston headed away a right-wing cross that fell to the feet of the midfielder. He fluffed his kick, struck the ball into the ground and it spiralled over the flailing arm of Schmeichel into the net.
It was a bizarre goal to lose and Celtic were once again tasked with getting back into the game.
Schmeichel was brought into action shortly afterwards when he dived full-length to his right to hold a rasping low shot from Mikael Mandron.
Rodgers then made three substitutions in the 65th minute with skipper Callum McGregor among those coming off. He was joined by Kuhn and Adam Idah, who had been worryingly ineffective, as they were replaced by Luke McCowan, Yang and Filipe Jota.
GETTING THE NOD…Yang Hyun-jun gets in behind Declan John to thump in a header for No.3.
Three minutes later, the new arrivals clicked when Jota passed to Hatate who swung an angled cross from the left into the box and Yang timed his run brilliantly to head superbly from eight yards beyond the stretching Hemming to his left.
Two minutes later, McCowan had a shot hacked off the line and then the midfielder smacked one off the left-hand upright as the Saints goal led a charmed life.
In the 76th minute, Yang rifled in a pass from Hatate, but was adjudged to have strayed just offside.
Rodgers’ substitutions turned the tide and in the 88th minute the prolific Maeda added his 26th goal of the season after he had been released through the middle with a swift pass from Yang on the right.
The Japanese speedster raced away from Richard Taylor before sliding the ball wide of the stranded Hemming.
And it was then down to Yang to have the final say when Schlupp, excellent all night, picked him out with a left-wing cross and the winger thumped another header into the net.
This was a night where the champions displayed true grit to take another step towards the club’s 55th title.
TEAM: Schmeichel; Johnston, Carter-Vickers, Trusty (sub: Scales 27), Schlupp; Engels, McGregor (sub: McCowan 65), Hatate; Kuhn (sub: Yang 65), Idah (sub: Jota 65), Maeda (sub: Kenny 93).
