Kelechi Iheanacho delivered another defining moment in Celtic’s title chase on Wednesday night, calmly converting a stoppage-time penalty to secure a thrilling 3-2 victory over Motherwell and keep the Hoops firmly in contention for the Scottish Premiership crown.
With the pressure mounting and the title race hanging in the balance, the Nigerian forward once again proved decisive for Celtic, whose dramatic late win ensured the championship battle with Hearts will go down to the final day of the season.
Celtic arrived at Fir Park full of confidence after an impressive Old Firm triumph over Rangers, but Martin O’Neill’s men were quickly dragged into a tense and unpredictable contest.
Motherwell stunned the visitors in the 17th minute when Elliott Watt unleashed a superb strike from outside the box to hand the hosts an early advantage.
Despite dominating possession for long periods, Celtic initially struggled to break through a determined Motherwell side.
The visitors eventually found their response just before halftime through the ever-dangerous Daizen Maeda, whose effort ricocheted in off the post to restore parity and shift momentum in Celtic’s favour heading into the break.
Celtic looked to have taken control of the encounter shortly after the restart when Benjamin Nygren finished confidently to make it 2-1. However, the drama was far from over.
Iheanacho was introduced midway through the second half and immediately injected urgency into Celtic’s attack. The former Sevilla striker nearly produced a spectacular moment with an audacious attempt from near the halfway line, but his effort drifted narrowly wide.
Motherwell refused to surrender and struck back in the 85th minute through Liam Gordon, setting up a nervy finale as Celtic’s title hopes appeared to wobble.
But deep into stoppage time came the decisive moment.
Following a VAR review, the referee awarded Celtic a penalty after Sam Nicholson was judged to have handled the ball inside the area.
Amid intense pressure and deafening tension, Iheanacho stepped forward in the ninth minute of added time and coolly sent the goalkeeper the wrong way to spark wild celebrations among Celtic players and supporters.
The goal marked Iheanacho’s eighth of the season and continued his impressive late-season resurgence, with the Nigerian now scoring five times in his last eight appearances for the Scottish giants.
Although still used primarily from the bench, the 29-year-old has repeatedly delivered in crucial moments.
His recent match-winning contributions against St Mirren, Hibernian, Dundee FC, and now Motherwell have significantly boosted Celtic’s push for silverware.
Iheanacho’s composed display earned him a solid performance rating after he won several key duels and maintained his influence throughout a frantic closing spell.
The dramatic victory leaves Celtic just one point behind league leaders Hearts ahead of a decisive final-day showdown at Celtic Park, where only a win may be enough to secure another league title.
Beyond club football, Iheanacho’s resurgence could also reignite his international prospects. With Nigeria preparing to defend their Unity Cup title in London later this month, Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle is expected to unveil his squad soon, and the striker’s recent form may strengthen his case for a national team recall.
For now, though, Iheanacho’s immediate focus remains on Celtic’s title mission as the Hoops prepare for a season-defining clash against Hearts before turning their attention to the Scottish Cup final against Dunfermline Athletic.
