St Johnstone were narrowly beaten 1-0 by Scottish Premiership leaders Celtic at McDiarmid Park. Mika Baur's goal just after half-time was enough to secure the three points for the visitors.
Martin O'Neill, the Celtic manager, made five changes to his starting line-up, handing a debut to goalkeeper Sam Johnstone and a first start to Oliver Sorensen. St Johnstone manager Simo Valakari responded with four alterations of his own, including a first start for Joel Cotterill. The home side had moments, with Enes Alic seeing a long-range effort fly just wide and Haissem Hassan having a goal ruled out for offside. Celtic's defence, however, held firm for a clean sheet.
The decisive moment arrived in the 52nd minute. Kasper Hogh provided the assist, finding Mika Baur who finished to score his first goal for Celtic. Sebastian Tounekti was also involved in the build-up. St Johnstone's Dane Murray could do little to stop the well-worked move. Celtic captain Callum McGregor had a close-range chance scrambled away earlier, but Baur's strike proved the difference.
The defeat leaves St Johnstone in seventh place in the Premiership table with seven points from their opening six matches. Their form reads two wins, one draw, and three losses, with a goal difference of minus one. They now sit 11 points behind a Celtic side that has won all six of its league games this season.
While the result went against them, there were positive individual performances. Joel Cotterill, making his full debut, showed promise in midfield. Enes Alic remained a threat, with his powerful shot just missing the target. The team's structure largely contained a Celtic side that had won 12 consecutive matches in all competitions coming into this fixture. The defensive effort was a step forward, conceding only once to the league's most potent attack.
Attention now turns to the next league fixture. St Johnstone will host Dundee United at McDiarmid Park on Saturday, 17 October. Dundee United currently occupy ninth position, making it a key match in the battle for mid-table places. The full schedule ahead is available on our fixtures page. Manager Simo Valakari will be looking for a response as his team aims to climb the table from their current seventh-place berth.
