Big players do not always start games. But when the moment comes, they define them.
At Hampden Park, Kelechi Iheanacho turned frustration into impact, dragging Celtic into the Scottish Cup final when the game threatened to slip away.
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Celtic defeated St Mirren 6-2 after extra time to book passage into the final
A season of stops and starts
The context mattered.
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Iheanacho, 29, has endured a disrupted campaign; multiple hamstring injuries have limited his rhythm and consistency since joining the Scottish champions.
Recent reports suggested growing frustration over limited starts.
But manager Martin O’Neill has remained consistent in his approach, managing the Nigerian forward carefully, easing him back into action rather than risking further setbacks.
So when Celtic faced St. Mirren in the Scottish Cup semi-final, Iheanacho began where he has often found himself this season: on the bench.
A fast start, a strong grip
Celtic did not wait.
Within a minute, Daizen Maeda forced the breakthrough, pressing goalkeeper Ryan Mullen into an error after a passback, before guiding the rebound into the net to make the score 1-0. Even when Mullen was substituted in the 15th minute, the momentum did not shift.
Just before halftime, Celtic struck again.
A flowing move, sparked by Sebastian Tounekti and finished with ingenuity from Hyung-Jun Yang, ended with a clever backheel into the path of Anthony Ralston, who drove a powerful effort off the underside of the crossbar and in, to make the score 2-0.
Then, the shift, as football rarely stays predictable.
In the second half, Celtic surrendered their advantage, twice.
Mikael Mandron struck twice for St. Mirren, pulling the game back to level terms and forcing tension into what had looked like a settled contest.
From control to chaos.
[Credit: Celtic FC on X]
Iheanacho enters and changes everything
In the 83rd minute, Iheanacho was introduced, replacing Yang. The timing was late. The impact was not.
As the game moved into extra time, the Nigerian forward stepped into the moment.
In the 96th minute, he rose highest to meet a delivery from James Forrest, powering home a header to restore Celtic’s lead.
Two minutes later, Luke McCowan extended the advantage further to make it 4-2.
But Iheanacho was not finished.
In the 101st minute, he struck again; calm, composed, decisive, sealing Celtic’s path to the final.
Putting it beyond doubt
The goals kept coming.
Benjamin Nygren added a sixth after a defensive error from Ben O’Hara, capitalising on Maeda’s drive and square pass.
By then, the contest was done. From tension to dominance, within minutes.
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Celtic now advance to the Scottish FA Cup final, where they will face Dunfermline Athletic on 23 May.
[Credit: Celtic FC on X]
More than just goals
For Iheanacho, this was more than a brace. It was a response to limited minutes, to injury setbacks, and to questions around his role.
In one decisive stretch of football, the Super Eagles forward reminded everyone what he brings; instinct, timing, and the ability to decide games when margins tighten.
Because sometimes, you do not need 90 minutes.
You just need the moment.
