🚨 Mika Baur’s First Celtic Goal Secures Victory Over St Johnstone as Hoops Make It Six Wins from Six
Celtic continued their perfect start to the Scottish Premiership season with a hard-fought 1–0 victory over St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park, with summer signing Mika Baur scoring his first goal for the club to settle a competitive encounter.
The German midfielder produced the decisive moment in the 52nd minute, finishing from close range after an excellent attacking move involving Haissem Hassan and Kasper Høgh. The victory means Celtic have now won all six of their league matches this season and remain at the top of the table.
However, the result was far from straightforward for Martin O’Neill’s side. Celtic made five changes to the team that defeated St Mirren, with manager O’Neill rotating his squad ahead of a busy period that includes an Old Firm cup clash with Rangers. Among those coming into the starting lineup was goalkeeper Sam Johnstone, who made his Celtic debut.
Johnstone quickly demonstrated why Celtic brought him in, producing a crucial first-half save to deny St Johnstone midfielder Joel Cotterill. The Saints created several promising opportunities and arguably enjoyed the better chances during parts of the opening period.
Celtic also struggled to find their usual attacking rhythm. Their passing lacked some of its normal sharpness, while St Johnstone pressed effectively and prevented the visitors from establishing complete control.
The breakthrough finally arrived seven minutes into the second half.
Sebastian Tounekti delivered a dangerous cross from the left, which Høgh helped into the path of Hassan. The Egyptian winger showed impressive skill to beat his marker before driving a low ball across the face of goal. Baur was perfectly positioned to meet the delivery and calmly tapped the ball into the net.
It was a hugely important moment for the summer signing, who celebrated his first Celtic goal while the travelling supporters erupted behind the goal.
St Johnstone refused to surrender, however. The hosts continued searching for an equaliser and came close on several occasions. Enes Alic produced a dangerous effort that narrowly missed the target, while Celtic goalkeeper Johnstone remained composed under pressure.
Celtic thought they had doubled their advantage later in the game when Hassan found the net, but the goal was ruled out after the ball had gone out of play during the buildup.
The closing stages saw St Johnstone push forward, but Celtic’s defence held firm. The champions also had opportunities to put the game beyond doubt, with Høgh, James Forrest and other attacking players testing goalkeeper Toby Steward.
Despite not producing their most convincing performance, Celtic showed the resilience required to collect another three points. The victory also extends their winning run to 13 matches in all competitions dating back to the end of last season.
For Baur, the evening will be remembered for a special personal milestone. His first Celtic goal arrived at an important moment and ultimately proved enough to secure another victory.
Celtic now turn their attention to a huge upcoming period, with Rangers waiting in the Premier Sports Cup quarter-final. With confidence high and six league wins from six, O’Neill’s team will believe they have built strong momentum.
For St Johnstone, the defeat will be frustrating after such a competitive performance. They created enough opportunities to trouble the champions, but Celtic’s experience and efficiency ultimately made the difference.
