St Mirren produced one of the greatest upsets in modern Scottish cup history as they swept aside holders Celtic 3-1 at Hampden Park to lift the League Cup for only the second time in their history.
In front of nearly 50,000 fans, the Paisley club combined fearless attacking with disciplined organisation to overwhelm a Celtic side already reeling from a difficult start under new manager Wilfried Nancy. Goals from Marcus Fraser and a superb second-half double from Jonah Ayunga sealed a famous triumph and sparked scenes of jubilation among the black-and-white faithful.
The final could hardly have begun in more dramatic fashion. With barely two minutes played, former Celtic defender Marcus Fraser rose above a static defence to power home a header from a corner, instantly igniting belief among Stephen Robinson’s side. Celtic, shell-shocked and sloppy, struggled to cope with St Mirren’s intensity as wave after wave of early pressure followed.
St Mirren sensed vulnerability. Dan Nlundulu bullied the Celtic back line and twice went close to doubling the lead, but his missed chances briefly threatened to shift momentum. Celtic gradually found their footing and were level midway through the first half when Reo Hatate volleyed in brilliantly at the back post after a fine cross from Kieran Tierney.
At 1-1, the contest appeared poised to tilt in Celtic’s favour, yet Robinson used the interval to reset his players mentally and tactically. What followed was a second-half display of courage and clarity that Celtic simply could not match.
Ayunga, whose St Mirren career has been marked by perseverance and patience, restored the lead on 64 minutes. Linking smartly with Alex Gogić, the forward finished calmly to put the Saints back in front and swing the final decisively in their direction.
Rather than rally, Celtic wilted. Their play became disjointed, their pressing half-hearted, and their passing increasingly desperate. St Mirren, by contrast, grew in confidence, defending compactly and breaking with purpose whenever space opened up.
The decisive moment arrived in the closing stages when St Mirren counter-attacked with devastating simplicity. Ayunga was again the beneficiary, smashing home his second goal to make it 3-1 and send Hampden into raptures. For the Saints’ supporters, it was confirmation that this was not merely a good day, but a historic one.
The final whistle crowned a remarkable achievement. Twelve years after their only previous League Cup success, St Mirren were champions once more, having outplayed, outthought and outfought the Scottish champions on the biggest domestic stage.
For Robinson, it was the missing piece in an already impressive tenure. Having established St Mirren as a consistent top-six Premiership side and returned them to European football, the manager had spoken openly about his desire for cup success. This time, there were no near misses, only deserved glory.
Celtic, meanwhile, were left searching for answers. Nancy has now suffered three consecutive defeats since taking charge, and the manner of this loss raised serious questions. After a promising response before half-time, their second-half collapse was stark, lacking cohesion, urgency and leadership.
The pressure is already mounting on the Frenchman, whose lonely figure on the touchline at full-time contrasted sharply with the joyous huddle of St Mirren players and staff nearby. As one season-defining week ended in disappointment, Celtic now face the task of halting their slide away from the spotlight.
For St Mirren, however, the night belonged entirely to them. This was a victory built on belief, bravery and collective spirit — a triumph that will be talked about in Paisley for generations, and celebrated long into the night.
