Super Eagles‘ Kelechi Iheanacho delivered a decisive late strike as Celtic FC edged 10-man Hibernian FC 2-1 on Sunday, tightening the race at the top of the Scottish Premiership.
The defending champions now sit level on points 73, with leaders Heart of Midlothian FC, who hold a superior goal difference of +4 and a game in hand, while Rangers FC trail by four points on 69. With all three sides still set to face each other, the title race is heading for a dramatic finish.
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Title race context: Margins tighten
The permutations remain finely balanced.
Hearts host Rangers in a high-stakes clash on Monday as they push to break the long-standing dominance of Scotland’s Glasgow giants. Celtic and Rangers will then meet next weekend, before Hearts travel to Celtic Park on the final day of the season on May 16.
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Celtic boss Martin O’Neill acknowledged the pressure, insisting nothing is settled.
“What do I want for tomorrow? I genuinely don’t know. We’ve won today, so there is a bit of relief for 24 hours,” he said.
“Even if we win the three games left at this minute, it doesn’t guarantee winning the league. The margin of error is very small, and it seems like I’ve been saying that for months. It is what it is.”
Early drama: Red card shapes contest
The game’s narrative shifted early.
Just 21 minutes in, Jamie McGrath was sent off after a VAR review for a reckless challenge on Alistair Johnston, leaving Hibernian a man down.
Johnston, returning from a series of hamstring injuries, immediately influenced proceedings. He combined with Yang Hyun-jun before delivering a cross that Daizen Maeda converted from close range.
The goal was initially flagged offside, but VAR overturned the decision, confirming Celtic’s opener.
Hibernian responded just before half-time under controversial circumstances.
Captain Joe Newell bundled the ball into the net, with replays suggesting a possible handball in the build-up. After a lengthy VAR review, the goal was allowed to stand, levelling the contest at 1-1.
Iheanacho delivers the moment
Despite dominating possession in the second half, Celtic struggled to convert their numerical advantage into clear chances.
That changed in the 70th minute.
Iheanacho replaced Yang Hyun-jun and made an immediate impact. Just two minutes after coming on, he showed composure and quality, bringing down Kieran Tierney’s corner on his chest before calmly slotting into the bottom corner.
The goal, his seventh across all competitions this season, proved decisive.
The Nigerian forward, formerly of Manchester City and Leicester City, continues to play a key role in Celtic’s push for silverware, often delivering in crucial moments off the bench.
READ ALSO: “We blew them away”, Iheanacho revels in match-winning display as Celtic reach Scottish Cup Final
What comes next
With the title race entering its final stretch, Celtic’s victory keeps them firmly in contention.
But with Hearts holding the edge and Rangers still in the mix, the battle remains wide open. For Celtic, every game now is a final.
And for Iheanacho, moments like this could yet define the outcome of the season.
