6 games which were crucial to Celtic’s fifth straight Scottish Premiership title

The Hoops secured a fifth consecutive championship after beating Hearts 3-1 on Saturday

Celtic have won the William Hill Premiership title in the most dramatic of circumstances following a late win over long-time leaders Hearts.

The Hoops secured a fifth consecutive championship which looked unlikely for long spells of the season.

Here are some of the key games on their rocky road to the title.

Kilmarnock away – twice

Celtic twice secured stoppage-time winners at Rugby Park, the first in September after many fans boycotted the first 12 minutes in protest at the board’s transfer dealings in the wake of their Champions League play-off exit at the hands of Kairat Almaty. Kelechi Iheanacho sealed a 2-1 win from the spot. Celtic trailed by two goals inside the first half hour at the same venue on February 15. Goals from half-time sub Sebastian Tounekti and Benjamin Nygren brought the Hoops level and Julian Araujo sealed a 3-2 win, again with virtually the last kick of the ball, before jumping into the away end to celebrate with the fans.

St Mirren 0 Celtic 1

Callum McGregor fired home from 25 yards deep in stoppage time to earn the champions what had looked an unlikely victory against St Mirren on November 22. The Paisley side had earlier come close to a winner when Conor McMenamin hit the post and when a Liam Scales own goal was disallowed for offside.

Celtic 3 Rangers 1

Despite making a good recovery under Martin O’Neill following the chaotic reign of Wilfried Nancy, Celtic went into the split in third place and knowing there was little room for error after a damaging defeat at Tannadice in March. But they knocked their city rivals out of the running on May 10 when Daizen Maeda’s quickfire double saw them complete a comeback at a raucous Celtic Park.

Motherwell 2 Celtic 3

The title was heading to Tynecastle for a spell in the first half on Wednesday with Hearts two up on Falkirk and Celtic trailing to Elliot Watt’s volley as Motherwell dominated. Goals from Daizen Maeda and Benjamin Nygren got Celtic back in front but the Steelmen regained the upper hand and deservedly levelled through Liam Gordon with five minutes left. The goal meant Celtic would need to win by three goals in the title decider but VAR intervened with a hugely contentious handball call against former Hearts midfielder Sam Nicholson. Iheanacho stepped up from the spot with the last kick of the ball to ensure Celtic just needed to beat the Jambos by any margin.

Celtic 3 Hearts 1

Celtic again did it the hard way on the final day after Lawrence Shankland’s strike put Hearts ahead in the 43rd minute. Arne Engels levelled from the spot following another handball call and the title went right to the wire. Daizen Maeda got the crucial goal in the 87th minute despite initially being flagged offside and Callum Osmand netted on an unopposed breakaway effort eight minutes into stoppage time to spark a chaotic pitch invasion.

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