GLASGOW – Injury-time goals by Korean duo Cha Du-Ri and Ki Sung-Yeung grabbed title chasing Celtic a vital three points here on Sunday with a 2-0 win over St Johnstone.
The victory keeps them two points behind rivals Rangers at the top of the Scottish Premier League – but it could have been four points had not the Koreans struck when the visitors were thinking they had earned a valuable point. Rangers ran out easy 4-1 winners away at Motherwell.
However Cha scored a wonder goal to claim his first goal for Celtic before fellow South Korean international Ki scored a break away goal three minutes into injury time as the Hoops ended a run of three successive draws at home in the league.
“It was a very frustrating day up until the first goal went in. We had to wait a long, long time for that but I’m delighted for them,” Celtic manager Neil Lennon said.
“It could have been a more disappointing day really but two great goals to end up what was a very happy finish for us.” His St Johnstone counterpart Derek McInnes didn’t see a goal coming for Celtic.
“I felt we defended with a confidence and discipline about us. I thought we certainly frustrated Celtic,” he said.
“Any late goal against you is a hard one to take but when they come against good teams like Celtic it’s even harder and that’s why we are very disappointed.”
The Celtic defence had failed to keep a clean sheet in their previous three matches and in a nervy start a mistake from Daniel Majstorovic presented St Johnstone with a chance within 30 seconds.
The Swede’s misplaced header allowed in Colin Samuel but his first touch was heavy and under pressure from Fraser Forster fired wide.
The hosts failed to make an impression on the match until the 17th minute when Peter Enckelman punched Ki’s cut-back only as far as Giorgios Samaras but the Greek saw his volley bounce high over before Paddy McCourt’s downward header from Niall McGinn’s cross went just wide.
McCourt’s trickery was causing St Johnstone problems and immediately after the break the Northern Ireland international went on a mazy run but when faced with the outrushing Enckelman he clipped his shot wide.
