2 years ago
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St Mirren held out for a point in a game they didn't want to playCeltic followed their League Cup triumph with a shock Scottish Premiership slip-up as they were held by Covid-weakened St Mirren in Paisley.
The visitors, who won the first trophy of the Ange Postecoglou era on Sunday, could not find a way past inspired stand-in goalkeeper Dean Lyness.
The surprise draw ends Celtic's six-game league winning run and leaves them six points behind leaders Rangers.
St Mirren, in ninth, are four points clear of bottom club St Johnstone.
The hosts started with three teenagers in a game they twice tried to have called off after 11 players tested positive, but emerged with a remarkable point despite Celtic's 31 shots and 83% possession.
Celtic can point to personnel problems of their own, with an injury list stretching into double figures and cup final match-winner Kyogo Furuhashi a notable absentee.
But the shock stalemate - in their last game before crowds are capped at 500 - is a huge blow to Celtic's title hopes as the rearranged winter break beckons.
Kyogo's movement and finishing prowess were sorely lacking for the visitors as they failed to turn a barrage of pressure into a breakthrough.
Lyness - on just his third start in two-and-a-half years with the club - impressively tipped a first-half Nir Bitton free-kick wide and denied Mikey Johnston a solo goal after the winger jinked past three players.
Johnston had a close-range effort cleared off the line by Joe Shaughnessy after the break, while Liel Abada and Callum McGregor also found Lyness an unpassable barrier and Josip Juranovic shaved the post with a free-kick.
But Celtic ran out of ideas and were repelled by a heroic defensive effort from Jim Goodwin's side, whose youthful bench did not have first-team appearance between them.
The home side had their moments at the other end too. Shaughnessy saw a close-range header deflected just past the post and Curtis Main forced a save from Celtic keeper Scott Bain - deputising for Joe Hart - either side of half-time as the Paisley men claimed a creditable point.
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St Mirren
Squad number26Player nameLyness
Squad number44Player nameMillar
Squad number4Player nameShaughnessy
Squad number18Player nameDunne
Squad number22Player nameFraser
Squad number3Player nameTanser
Squad number33Player nameOfford
Squad number11Player nameKiltie
Squad number15Player nameReid
Squad number12Player nameHenderson
Squad number10Player nameMain
Squad number42Player nameMcManus
Celtic
Squad number29Player nameBain
Squad number56Player nameRalston
Squad number20Player nameCarter-Vickers
Squad number57Player nameWelsh
Squad number5Player nameScales
Squad number6Player nameBitton
Squad number73Player nameMoffat
Squad number42Player nameMcGregor
Squad number18Player nameRogic
Squad number19Player nameJohnston
Squad number11Player nameAbada
Squad number3Player nameTaylor
Squad number30Player nameShaw
Squad number88Player nameJuranovic
Line-ups
St Mirren
Formation 5-4-1
- 26Lyness
- 44Millar
- 4Shaughnessy
- 18Dunne
- 22Fraser
- 3TanserBooked at 18mins
- 33OffordBooked at 39minsSubstituted forMcManusat 88'minutes
- 11Kiltie
- 15Reid
- 12Henderson
- 10Main
Substitutes
- 25Jack
- 27Urminsky
- 31Taylor
- 38McDonald
- 40Kenny
- 42McManus
Celtic
Formation 4-1-4-1
- 29Bain
- 56Ralston
- 20Carter-Vickers
- 57WelshBooked at 33mins
- 5ScalesSubstituted forTaylorat 89'minutes
- 6BittonSubstituted forShawat 81'minutes
- 73MoffatSubstituted forJuranovicat 61'minutes
- 42McGregor
- 18RogicBooked at 64mins
- 19Johnston
- 11Abada
Substitutes
- 3Taylor
- 16McCarthy
- 30Shaw
- 52Henderson
- 54Montgomery
- 65Hazard
- 88Juranovic
Live Text
Match ends, St. Mirren 0, Celtic 0.
Second Half ends, St. Mirren 0, Celtic 0.
Hand ball by Michael Johnston (Celtic).
Attempt missed. Michael Johnston (Celtic) right footed shot from the centre of the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Liam Shaw following a corner.
Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Matthew Millar.
Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Daniel McManus.
Foul by Greg Taylor (Celtic).
Jay Henderson (St. Mirren) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Liam Shaw (Celtic).
Greg Kiltie (St. Mirren) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Jay Henderson.
Attempt missed. Josip Juranovic (Celtic) right footed shot from the right side of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Anthony Ralston with a headed pass.
Substitution, Celtic. Greg Taylor replaces Liam Scales.
Attempt saved. Anthony Ralston (Celtic) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top right corner. Assisted by Josip Juranovic with a cross.
Substitution, St. Mirren. Daniel McManus replaces Kieran Offord because of an injury.
Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Matthew Millar.
Attempt blocked. Liam Scales (Celtic) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Josip Juranovic with a cross.
Substitution, Celtic. Liam Shaw replaces Nir Bitton.
Foul by Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic).
Curtis Main (St. Mirren) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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