Celtic manager Martin O’Neill lauded the performance of South Korean winger Hyun-jun Yang after his winning goal secured a 2-1 victory over St Mirren and maintained the club's perfect start to the season.
Yang's late strike proved to be the difference, extending Celtic's lead at the top of the table to five points. The win marks five victories from five matches for the Glasgow club.
International Duty Looms
The South Korean international is now set to depart for international duty with his country at the Asian Games. His absence will be felt in Celtic's upcoming matches against St Johnstone, Rangers (twice), and Ferencvaros. There is also a possibility that Yang may need to fulfill national service obligations, depending on South Korea's performance in the tournament.
O’Neill acknowledged Yang's importance to the team, stating, "We are going to miss him, no question." He added, "He has signed off with a brilliant goal. He’s in great form — and he’ll work for you going backwards as well. He doesn’t mind doing the hard graft."
Match Summary
Celtic fell behind in the first half to a penalty from St Mirren's Nikolas Agrafiotis. However, the team responded after the break. Liam Scales equalized with a header before a swift counter-attack led to Camilo Duran setting up Yang for the winning goal.
The match was also marked by several Video Assistant Referee (VAR) decisions that went against Celtic, with two goals being disallowed for offside. Issues with the officials' headsets and the accuracy of on-screen lines were noted.
O’Neill commented on the VAR controversies, saying, "You cannot celebrate any more until these things are fully decided." He also praised St Mirren's performance, noting they "caused us loads of problems."
Despite a less fluent performance than in recent games, O’Neill expressed satisfaction with the win. "Overall though, we can improve," he stated.
Celtic captain Callum McGregor echoed the sentiment, highlighting a "much better second half" and emphasizing the importance of the win. He recognized Yang as "a really important part of the team" and wished him well for the Asian Games.