Celtic manager Martin O’Neill has praised Kelechi Iheanacho for delivering a decisive moment off the bench, as the Nigerian forward’s late goal secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Dundee FC on Sunday.
The win at Dens Park keeps Celtic FC firmly in the title race, with the Hoops now just three points off the top of the Scottish Premiership table with six matches remaining.
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Despite dominating large spells of the contest, Celtic were forced to rely on Iheanacho’s clinical intervention late in the game after spurning several clear-cut chances, particularly in a one-sided first half.
Reflecting on the performance, O’Neill admitted his side should have put the game beyond reach much earlier but was ultimately satisfied with the resilience shown to secure maximum points.
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“I thought we should have been out of sight by half-time, but we weren’t,” he told Celtic TV.
“We missed some glorious chances – really clear-cut chances – to go and get a second goal, but it didn’t happen, and you always fear the worst.”
Celtic’s wastefulness nearly proved costly after Dundee clawed their way back into the game through a second-half penalty, shifting momentum in front of their home supporters.
“At half-time, I said to the team that this was far from over. Dundee would come into the game and were playing with the wind in the second half,” O’Neill added.
“They got the penalty, and that obviously gave them great confidence to continue on, but we kept battling at it and battling it was at the end of it all.”
With the contest still delicately poised, Iheanacho rose to the occasion from the bench, finding the net to hand Celtic a crucial win at a decisive stage of the campaign.
“Iheanacho came on and scored the goal which wins the game for us. Naturally, we’re delighted, and we’re still in the picture,” O’Neill said.
The Celtic boss also expressed confidence in the Nigerian striker’s ability, despite a challenging season disrupted by injuries.
“I know he’s had a frustrating time, but he’s been a really fine player in his career, and he can find the net.”
O’Neill further highlighted the psychological pressure surrounding the fixture, noting that Celtic played after their title rivals—a scenario that left no margin for error.
“We played last, and that is difficult. You’re trying not to think about what has happened either the previous day or a few hours earlier, but for us today, we just had to win.
“There’s no room for error at all, and if we had dropped points today, that would have been very difficult to fight back.”
Big relief
For Iheanacho, the goal marked a welcome return to form. It was his fourth of the season and his first since early October, ending a prolonged spell on the sidelines.
Speaking after the match, the 29-year-old expressed relief at rediscovering his scoring touch while contributing to a vital victory.
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“It feels good to help the team to get the win today. We really showed character, and we really worked hard today to get the win,” he said.
“I think, especially in the first half, we blew them away and had a few chances, but unfortunately, it didn’t click.
“In the second half, they came back and scored the penalty, but at the end, we got the points, which is massive.
“I’ve been out for a while, so it feels good to be back and to help the team get the win, so I’m happy.”
Celtic will now turn their attention to the remaining fixtures, knowing that consistency—and moments of individual brilliance like Iheanacho’s—could prove decisive in their pursuit of the league title.
