Scottish champions Celtic won 3-2 at home against St Mirren on Saturday to round off their historic Premiership campaign. Luis Palma scored the game’s final goal in the closing moments of play.
At Parkhead, St. Mirren captain Mark O’Hara twice gave the visitors the lead, but goals from Matt O’Riley and Kyogo Furuhashi equalized the score at the break for Celtic.
Although there were less incidents in the second half of the match, Palma’s header from Anthony Ralston’s cross in the 86th minute gave the home crowd a chance to cheer Celtic before the trophy was awarded.
Following a goal from Palma, Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers substituted Joe Hart. The crowd enthusiastically applauded the 37-year-old in what turned out to be the former England goalkeeper’s final league match.
When Celtic plays Glasgow’s bitter rivals Rangers in the Scottish Cup final at Hampden next week, Hart will now attempt to win the sixth title of his three-year tenure at Parkhead.
With their 5-0 victory over Kilmarnock on Wednesday, Celtic began play having already won their 54th Scottish league title and gotten within one goal of Rangers’ 55-year record.
But in the seventh minute, Celtic’s dreams of winning their 12th title in 13 years in front of their own supporters were dashed when they failed to clear a throw into the box, allowing O’Hara to smash the ball low into the net.
In the twenty-first minute, O’Riley pulled Celtic even, but six minutes later, O’Hara’s penalty kick put St Mirren ahead once more after Celtic defender Stephen Welsh had bundled over Toyosi Olusanya inside the area.
But eight minutes before halftime, Furuhashi headed in fellow Japanese player Reo Hatate’s cross at the near post to give Celtic another equalizer.
Hearts held the Light Blues to a 3-3 draw, and the team’s final-minute goal ensured that honours were level at Tynecastle. Celtic finished the season eight points ahead of Rangers in second place.
Hearts’ five-game losing record against Rangers was snapped by the draw.
Hearts of Edinburgh, already guaranteed a third-place finish, took the lead in the first half thanks to a goal from Lawrence Shankland. However, Rangers responded with three goals in the second half through Todd Cantwell, Fabio Silva, and Ross McCausland.
However, Hearts were given a boost by Dexter Lembikisa’s goal in the last ten minutes, and Kyosuke Tagawa’s incredible volley allowed them to tie the score deep into stoppage time.
Saturday’s other Premiership match ended in a 1-1 draw at Dens Park between Dundee and Kilmarnock.
After Luke McGowan gave the home team an equalizer in the thirteenth minute, Gary MacKay-Steven put Killie ahead in the twenty-fourth minute.
Kilmarnock was down to 10 men after Robbie Deas’s second yellow card in the 84th minute, and McCowan missed a penalty four minutes later.
All of the teams in the lower half of the table will be involved when the league season ends on Sunday. Livingston, who have already been relegated, will play at home against Hibernian, Motherwell will play struggling St Johnstone, and Ross County will play Aberdeen. The Scottish Premiership was split into a top and bottom six after 33 games.
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