Substitute Hyun-Jun Yang scored twice and provided an assist as Celtic won 5-2 at St Mirren to move 16 points clear at the top of the Scottish Premiership.
A thrilling game in Paisley saw Celtic finish strongly thanks to Yang’s impact as he put them 3-2 up in the 68th minute, set up Daizen Maeda in the 88th minute and then scored the visitors’ fifth in stoppage time (90+3).
The South Korean had only scored once in his first 48 Celtic appearances but has now netted five times in nine matches – and Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers had an interesting theory for his upturn in form.
Celtic’s Hyun-Jun Yang (right) celebrates giving Celtic the lead for a third time in their 5-2 win at St Mirren
“His girlfriend is here at the moment,” the Northern Irishman said. “I said to the guys, let’s see if we can keep her here and get that visa sorted. Everyone knows he’s in a really good mood and has been for a while.
“He scored his two goals and the one that was disallowed, but his pass for Daizen’s goal, to see it and then to execute it, wow, what a pass.”
Rodgers added: “It hasn’t always come off for him because he’s adapting to the intensity and the pressure. But now you’re starting to see a young guy evolve as a football player and as a person, and I’m so, so happy for him.”
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Yang puts his team ahead straight away with a brilliant headed effort
The 22-year-old was brought on with the game in the balance at 2-2 with St Mirren threatening to take the lead.
The Buddies had twice equalised as Declan John’s stunning free-kick cancelled out Jeffrey Schlupp’s opener – his first goal for Celtic.
Arne Engels then restored Celtic’s lead from the spot in first-half stoppage time before Killian Phillips deservedly levelled just three minutes into the second half.
But Yang’s headers either side of a cool Maeda finish leave the Bhoys just three wins away from clinching a fourth consecutive Scottish Premiership title.
Celtic’s next league game sees them host Rangers in the Old Firm on March 16, live on Sky Sports.
Defeat for St Mirren, meanwhile, damages their hopes of a top-six finish with Stephen Robinson’s team slipping to ninth and three points off sixth-placed Motherwell, who won at Rangers’ in Barry Ferguson’s first home game as interim manager.
Rodgers: One of my favourite results of season
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Jeffrey Schlupp gives Celtic the lead
Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers speaking at his post-match press conference:
“This is one of my favourite results of the season. Why? Because we are coming to a team you can see are difficult to play against, the surface is very difficult and it’s on the back of a third game of the week.
“We needed the freshness, the energy of the players coming into the game. They made the football smile for us.”
Robinson: We should’ve had a penalty at 3-2 down
St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson speaking at his post-match press conference on a penalty claim being rejected when Alistair Johnston tackled Roland Idowu with Celtic leading 3-2:
“It’s not a good claim, it’s a penalty. I don’t blame the ref (Matthew MacDermid) as it happens quickly.
“The ball has gone in a completely different direction from where Alistair has tried to make his challenge. He’d got a little nick on the ball and then followed through and the ball’s gone in a completely different direction from the tackle.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
St Mirren’s Declan John scores a brilliant free-kick off the underside of the bar to make it 1-1
“There are a lot of key moments in the game. We had seven incredibly good chances that we didn’t take. Key moments in defending as well.
“There are key moments in the game, of course, and you need luck against top teams. But it wasn’t luck, it was just we didn’t get the decision we should have got.
“It’s 3-2 and everything to play for. I thought we were on top of the game at that stage as well.”