AFCON 2025
Kelechi Iheanacho announced himself in style on his Celtic debut, firing home a stoppage-time penalty to seal a dramatic 2-1 victory over Kilmarnock at Rugby Park on Sunday.
The Nigerian striker, signed on a one-year deal, kept his composure from the spot in the 97th minute after a VAR check ruled Lewis Mayo had handled James Forrest’s shot. It was the final kick of the game and enough to restore Celtic to the top of the Premiership table.
Celtic had earlier taken the lead through Daizen Maeda, who headed in Marcelo Saracchi’s cross shortly after the restart. But Kilmarnock fought back strongly, with David Watson powering in an 83rd-minute header to send the home crowd into raptures and set up a tense finale.
Just when it seemed Brendan Rodgers’ side would be forced to settle for a point, Iheanacho stepped up to deliver the decisive moment, sparking jubilant celebrations among the visiting support.
The win comes against the backdrop of mounting frustration within the Celtic fanbase, with supporters staging a 12-minute protest at the start of the match over perceived boardroom inaction. But Iheanacho’s fairytale debut provided some relief and a much-needed lift following the Hoops’ recent Champions League exit.
