St Johnstone vs Celtic: A Match that Left a Sour Taste
This hotly-anticipated Scottish Premiership showdown between St Johnstone and Celtic began with the promise of excitement but ended up leaving a sour taste in the mouths of home supporters.
St Johnstone, led by the enigmatic Callum Davidson, started brightly, but it was the visitors who drew first blood in the 35th minute through a clinical finish from Japanese star Kyogo Furuhashi. The home side responded well, and Portuguese midfielder Paulo Bernardo brought them level just eight minutes later.
The Saints faithful had barely finished celebrating when Kyogo struck again, moments before the interval. The Celtic forward pounced on a loose ball in the St Johnstone box and made no mistake from close range.
The second half followed a similar pattern, with Celtic dominating possession and chances. And in the 54th minute, Callum McGregor put the game beyond doubt with a well-taken goal.
The dismal performance from St Johnstone was met with audible frustration from the stands. The home side failed to register a single shot on target in the second half and looked devoid of ideas in the final third.
In the end, Celtic cruised to a comfortable 3-1 victory, extending their lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership to nine points. The result leaves St Johnstone languishing in the bottom half of the table and facing an uphill battle to avoid relegation.
The Saints will need to regroup quickly, as they face a daunting trip to Rangers next weekend. Celtic, on the other hand, will be confident of continuing their winning run when they host Hibernian at Celtic Park.
Overall, it was a disappointing night for St Johnstone, who were outplayed by a superior Celtic team. The home side will need to improve significantly if they want to avoid further disappointment in the coming weeks.