2025-12-14: Celtic 1-3 St Mirren, League Cup

Match Pictures | Matches: 2025 – 2026

Trivia

KO: 15:30, Sunday
League Cup final now being played at the newly named “Barclays Hampden Park” after naming rights were sold to the bank.
First Celtic manager to lose his first three competitive matches. All three have been key matches: league defeat to Hearts to overtake to go top of the league, European competition match v Roma (flying high in Serie A) and now this Cup final.
Iheanacho went off after 30mins due to a hamstring injury. Frustrating as was the key man and excellent in the first half, after which Celtic really were a shadow of their own selves. Iheancho’s frustration clear too booting the door as he made he was to the locker rooms. He at least can hold his head up high.
Tierney came off injured again, and it just exacerbates all the issues.
Opening goal scored by ex-Celt Marcus Fraser.
Two cup finals lost this calendar year now, and notably both were not against Sevco.
A rule change by world governing body Fifa means Sebastian Tounekti of Tunisia, Michel-Ange Balikwisha from DR Congo and Kelechi Iheanacho from Nigeria are available before being released to take part in the Africa Cup of Nations
Pro-Palestine demonstrators picket Hampden Park (small numbers) prior to the final because of the recent sponsorship deal for the national stadium with banking giant Barclays.
Arts: Legendary Scottish actor and comedian Stanley Baxter died at the age of 99. RIP

Summary

Joebloggscity of TheCelticWiki:
Firstly, Credit where it is due today, St Mirren were deserved winners overall.

Celtic had a fine first half but were abject in the second half with too many players posted missing. The two best Celtic players on the day were Tierney & Iheanacho with both coming off injured. The curious thing is that Ihenacho was excellent, but after he came off with a hamstring injury, Celtic just looked clueless. Iheanacho held the ball up, put in some good passes and provided a physicality that was missing. There was no one else providing this. The Celtic defence was poor with once again with Scales having an off day but Schemichel floundering for St Mirren’s second. Losing another goal to a corner (third in recent matches) was frustrating.

Lack of physicality was one thing, but there’s huge disconnection at Celtic at present, and Nancy has to be given further time, but he’s had a poor start. In retropsect, those who felt that Martin O’Neill should have been retained upto the end of this match feel vindicated, but that can be argued both ways as really those with green tinted glasses should be more realistic as not all the performances under MoN were as convincing as some like to believe they were. The squad is very underpar, and Nancy has to deal with it longer than an interim period without any old nostalgia to boost him. He deserves some criticism though for not utilising Maloney et al from the backroom staff.

Former Celtic goalkeeper Pat Bonner on BBC Sportsound

You can’t lose four games on the trot, he had to win it [against Dundee United]. Celtic couldn’t defend properly, not just individually but collectively. That’s the pressure of managing Celtic, whether you started three weeks ago or right now, the pressure is always on.

They have to stick with the manager. They made a decision to bring him in and they’re only four games in.

The pressure is going to be so great now on all of them that whatever they do in the January window they have to get it bang on. Wilfried Nancy is going to have time to work with his players on the pitch and then he can be judged.

Football writer Henry Winter on X

Martin O’Neill got a tune out of Celtic players (seven wins from eight). Same players now look confused and unconvinced by Nancy and his system.

People say Nancy has lost the dressing room. Did he ever have it? Can he possibly turn it around? Process is one thing but Celtic’s ethos is winning.

Should the board and Paul Tisdale give Nancy time or swallow their pride, cut their losses (4/4 so far) on Nancy and ask O’Neill to rescue them again?

Ex-Celtic striker Chris Sutton on Sky Sports

When a full fanbase turns against a manager, that’s the end. And I don’t think we’re too far away from that. Where do Celtic go from here? Where does Nancy go from here? The Celtic fans aren’t going to accept this. The Celtic hierarchy have a bit of thinking to do.

Let’s not make out this is a good team. It’s bang average and with key players missing, January’s going to be key.

Former USA international turned analyst Alexei Lalas on X

Nancy may just be wrong for Celtic. But that’s on them. They knew they were getting a romantic, and if they didn’t, then they’re inept.

Celtic doesn’t care how you win, or about any realities/challenges that may exist. You figure it out, or they’ll get someone who will.

Bluesky:

If you stand still in sport you go backwards relative to your competitors. If you diminish your team in sport you go backwards-er. We’re in the latter camp sadly

#CelticFC #SackTheBoard

Teams

Celtic

Manager: Wilfried Nancy

Formation: 4 – 3 – 3

Starting lineup

01, K. Schmeichel
63, K. Tierney, subbed for L. McCowan at 71 mins
05, L. Scales
06, A. Trusty,45’+4, Yellow Card at 45 mins plus 4
56, A. Ralston, subbed for C. Donovan at 73 mins
27, A. Engels, subbed for Yang Hyun-Jun at 84 mins
42, C. McGregor (c), Captain
41, R. Hatate
38, D. Maeda
17, K. Ịheanachọ, subbed for J. Kenny at 35 mins
23, S. Tounekti, subbed for J. Forrest at 72 mins

Subs:

51, C. Donovan
49, J. Forrest
28, Paulo Bernardo
24, J. Kenny
14, L. McCowan
10, M. Balikwisha
08, B. Nygren
12, V. Sinisalo
13, Yang Hyun-Jun

Goals:

R. Hatate (23′)

Assists:

K. Tierney (23′)

St Mirren

Manager:
Stephen Robinson

Formation:
3 – 5 – 2

Starting lineup

01, S. George
21, M. Freckleton
05, R. King
22, M. Fraser (c), Captain,22′, Yellow Card at 22 mins
24, D. John, subbed for S. Tanser at 78 mins
13, A. Gogić
25, K. Baccus
88, K. Phillips
10, C. McMenamin, subbed for J. Richardson at 72 mins
14, D. Nlundulu,45’+4, Yellow Card at 45 mins plus 4, subbed for M. Mandron at 72 mins
11, J. Ayunga,77′, Yellow Card at 77 mins, subbed for E. Mooney at 81 mins

Subs:

04, L. Donnelly
07, R. Idowu
09, M. Mandron
33, E. Mooney
31, R. Mullen
06, M. O’Hara
02, J. Richardson
03, S. Tanser
30, F. Taylor

Goals:

M. Fraser (2′)
J. Ayunga (64′, 76′)

Assists:

K. Baccus (2′)
A. Gogić (64′)
D. John (76′)

Venue:Barclays Hampden
Attendance:49,914

Articles

Match Report (see below)

Pictures

Match Pictures

Match Links

Prior
Match
Post
MoTM

Stats

Basic Stats
Overall possession
STM
26.3%
CEL
73.7%
St. Mirren 26.3%
Celtic 73.7%
Shots
St. Mirren 11
Celtic 14

Shots on target
St. Mirren 7
Celtic 5

Total touches inside the opposition box
St. Mirren 21
Celtic 26
STM
CEL
Goalkeeper saves
St. Mirren 4
Celtic 4

Aerial duels won
St. Mirren 17
Celtic 14

Fouls committed
St. Mirren 16
Celtic 5

Corners
St. Mirren 3
Celtic 7

In-depth match stats
Attack
Shots
St. Mirren 11
Celtic 14

Shots on target
St. Mirren 7
Celtic 5

Shots off target
St. Mirren 2
Celtic 5

Attempts out of box
St. Mirren 2
Celtic 9

One-on-one attempts
St. Mirren 1
Celtic 0

Total offsides
St. Mirren 3
Celtic 0

Distribution
Total passes
St. Mirren 205
Celtic 565

Pass accuracy %
St. Mirren 60.5
Celtic 84.6

Backward passes
St. Mirren 25
Celtic 91

Forward passes
St. Mirren 120
Celtic 206

Total long balls
St. Mirren 65
Celtic 61

Successful final third passes
St. Mirren 43
Celtic 165

Total crosses
St. Mirren 8
Celtic 31

Defence
Total tackles
St. Mirren 11
Celtic 15

Won tackle %
St. Mirren 63.6
Celtic 60

Fouls committed
St. Mirren 16
Celtic 5

Total yellow cards
St. Mirren 3
Celtic 1

Total clearances
St. Mirren 34
Celtic 16

Articles

BBC

At a glance

Marcus Fraser heads St Mirren into lead inside two minutes

Reo Hatate volleys holders Celtic level before half-time

Jonah Ayunga’s second-half doubles secures St Mirren’s second League Cup, after first success 12 years ago

Wilfried Nancy suffers third defeat in a row since taking over at Celtic

ByAmy Canavan
BBC Sport Scotland at Hampden Park

St Mirren sensationally roared to Premier Sports Cup victory by stunning beleaguered holders Celtic in a frenetic Hampden final.

Goals from Marcus Fraser and a second-half Jonah Ayunga double did the damage against Wilfried Nancy’s shell-shocked side as the Paisley club claimed the Scottish League Cup for only the second time in their history.

Having become the first manager of the Parkhead club to lose his first two games in charge – against Scottish Premiership leaders Hearts and Europa League heavweights Roma – Nancy was already staring at a must-win game on his maiden trip to Mount Florida.

His troubled side could not have got off to a worse start as former Celtic player Marcus Fraser towered above a dire defence to head home inside the opening two minutes.

St Mirren’s motto has been “faith over fear” as they eyed a first success in this competition since their only win in 2013 against Hearts, when they beat Celtic in the semi-final, and few encapsulated that more than energetic striker Dan Nlundulu.

The powerful forward rag-dolled a ropey Celtic backline and had two gilt-edged opportunities to double his side’s lead in their dominant opening 15 minutes, but he dilly-dallied the first and stroked wide with his second.

There was a concern the Saints would rue such golden chances against the champions.

The influential Kelechi Iheanacho was denied by a superb Shamal George save, but the St Mirren shot stopper could not do anything to deny Reo Hatate’s back-post volley on the end of Kieran Tierney’s terrific cross.

While the equaliser was deserved, Robinson got his men in at half-time level and regrouped to ready them for a special second-half performance.

Ayunga, who has experienced an at-times arduous spell at St Mirren, connected with a classy and creative Alex Gogic assist to restore the Paisley side’s lead.

In the most recent of times, that would have sparked something with Celtic, but it seemed nothing could shake them into life in a sluggish second half as they stared at back-to-back cup final defeats this year.

Celtic could not rouse themselves and allowed for St Mirren to rubber stamp their dreamland day with a fantastic third on the counter as Ayunga crashed in the simplest of finishes to spark bedlam among those in black and white.
St Mirren analysis: Final piece of Paisley puzzle complete

Robinson, who has established St Mirren as a top-six side over the last three seasons and taken them back to European football, said the one thing missing from his tenure was a deep cup run.

There have been near misses, he has experienced pain here at Hampden with previous club Motherwell, but this was third time lucky.

Though there wasn’t anything lucky about St Mirren’s success.

In the semi-final against Well, they were applauded for nullifying their signature neat play. Here, they sucked any potential space Celtic would have wished to exploit with relative ease.

Goalkeeper George came up clutch with a few fine stops, but even he must have been surprised at the little hassle he was dealt on such a day.

The biggest compliment that can be paid the Paisley side’s way is they didn’t shock Celtic. There was nothing surprising, it was all just sheer deserved stuff.

This is a squad who play together and for one another. Now, they’ll celebrate together and for one another long into the night.
Celtic analysis: Club in crisis crumble on centre stage

Togetherness is not a word that can be used in the same sentence as Celtic.

The way in which they started this monumental final was feeble. Swimming in mud, Fraser lifted off the Hampden turf to tower over Hatate.

While a fightback was somewhat mounted, it was never to the height required to hop the hurdle of a steely St Mirren.

The second-half display was so disjointed there was no notably moment that felt like “the moment”.

It was a far cry from the performance put in last month against Rangers in the semi-final under Martin O’Neill. That was a game and result which some thought would start Celtic on the right track again.

But instead, weeks later, they’re trudging through uncharted and choppy waters gasping for air. And everyone is watching on with a flashlight in their face.

Last month, Shaun Maloney was doing the dirty work in the dugout alongside O’Neill. For the final, he was tucked up the back among the Celtic board – who were once again not missed by the exasperated supporters.

Former Celtic goalkeeper Joe Hart suggested Nancy didn’t know what he’d walked into in the wake of the defeat to Roma.

As time ticked on at Hampden, having switched between a nonchalant man and a frantic figure, he cut a lonely and lost look as the worst week imaginable for a Celtic manager came to its head.
What they said

St Mirren hero Jonah Ayunga tells BBC Scotland: “Amazing. We met the fans at the calendar signing this week and this was all they spoke about.

“To get the chance to play in this, let alone win it and score, I couldn’t imagine it any better.

“Not a bad day’s work, eh?

“This is once in a lifetime. I’ve been playing since I was 17, I’m nearly 30, this was the first time I had a chance to win anything.”

St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson: “I’m delighted for everyone involved – staff, players. We’ve got a fantastic group of boys.

“When you speak to people in England, you get top six finishes, they don’t understand the parameters, or the disparity of the league. If you’re down in England, you’ve always got a chance because of the amount of games the budgets aren’t that drastically different.

“There is a huge disparity here so for us to get a trophy, a small club like St Mirren, to do it in the manner we did… I’m so pleased for the boys.”