celtic fc kept its season moving at Celtic Park after Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain scored the only goal in a narrow win over St Mirren on Sunday, April 19, 2026, in Eastern Time. The first-half strike came after an early effort was ruled out for offside, and it proved enough to keep the hosts within three points of Hearts. St Mirren now turns quickly to a second meeting with celtic fc in the Scottish Cup semi-finals next weekend.
Oxlade-Chamberlain delivers the decisive moment
The match opened with pressure from the home side, and Oxlade-Chamberlain thought he had put celtic fc ahead inside the opening seven minutes when a close-range volley was disallowed for offside. He did not have to wait long for another chance. In the 15th minute, the midfielder finished past Shamal George after Callum McGregor’s initial attempt broke kindly into his path.
That goal settled the game early, even as St Mirren stayed alive in the contest. The visitors nearly equalised in first-half stoppage-time when Liam Donnelly headed narrowly over from a corner. In the second half, Kelechi Iheanacho also came close for celtic fc, but the single-goal margin held through the final stages.
What the result means for Celtic Fc
The result leaves celtic fc firmly in the title race, still three points behind Hearts after the leaders responded with a late comeback of their own. Hearts scored twice in the last five minutes to beat Motherwell 3-1, which meant the pressure on celtic fc did not ease even after the home win.
For celtic fc, the immediate challenge is not only the league table but the repeat meeting with St Mirren next weekend in the Scottish Cup semi-finals. The teams have now already played a tight league contest at Celtic Park, and that adds weight to what comes next.
Immediate reactions and the next test
Martin O’Neill’s side did what it needed to do in the league, and the single-goal victory was enough to keep the gap manageable. St Mirren, for its part, showed enough threat to make the contest uneasy, especially late in the first half when Donnelly went close.
There were no wider quotes in the supplied material, but the basic message from the result is clear: celtic fc remains in touch, and the return fixture will arrive with more on the line. With the Scottish Cup semi-final set for next weekend, the pressure now shifts from one narrow win to the next test for celtic fc.
