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“This is Pressure. Kelechi Iheanacho up against Calum Ward, to cut the gap between Celtic and Heart as we head towards the final day. How is your nerve?
“Kelechi Iheanachoooooooooo. With the stadium erupting and the pitch being encroached.
“Iconic scenes…. Iconic scenes. Kelechi Iheanacho fires the penalty home, and Celtic close in on Hearts again as we head towards a final day title shootout.
“Another incredibly unforgettable moment.”
This was how the commentator described Kelechi Iheanacho’s dramatic 90+9th-minute penalty, the final kick of the game against Motherwell.
A goal that sealed a thrilling 3-2 win for Celtic.
But beyond winning the match, the strike carried enormous weight.
Its significance was far greater than three points, dragging the title race to the final day and ensuring the championship would be decided in one last showdown.
And that final showdown would come against Hearts, the side that had sat on top of the table for months, looked destined to win the league.
Last Saturday afternoon at Celtic Park was tense, Celtic hosted Hearts with everything on the line.
The equation was brutally simple. Celtic, on 79 points, had to win to become champions. Hearts, a point ahead on 80, needed only a draw to seal their first league title since 1960.
Hearts opened the scoring on 43 minutes as captain Lawrence Shankland raced in at the back post to head Stephen Kingley’s free-kick into the net for his 20th goal of the season in all competitions.
Celtic equalised five minutes later when Kieran Tierney’s cross struck the arm of Alexandros Kyziridis. Arne Engels converted from the spot despite Alexander Schwolow going the right way.
The pressure kept building. Engels came close again with a free-kick that drifted just wide, before Kelechi Iheanacho hit the post with a low effort from distance.
Then, with two minutes left, Celtic finally took the lead. Osmand was played in behind and squared for Maeda to finish, sending Celtic Park into celebration. The offside flag initially went up but VAR overturned it.
In the 98th minute Osmand added a third, the final kick of the game, to seal it.
And that was it.
226 days at the top of the table since the start of October, and still Hearts couldn’t hold on to the league title. They were left heartbroken.
Celtic, meanwhile, rejoiced. Saturday was the first time they had gone top, and from there they went on to win the league.
At the heart of it all, one man who really proved crucial in the run-in to Celtic’s glory was Nigeria’s Kelechi Iheanacho.
Kelechi Iheanacho joined Celtic in September 2025, featuring in 13 games. with 4 starts.
Kelechi Iheanacho scored five league goals in total this season.
Two of them came in the final five games, during the Premiership Championship Group, at the most decisive stage of the title race. The other three were scored earlier in the regular Premiership season.
For context, and for those who may not be following the format closely, here’s a quick explainer.
How does the Scottish Premiership work?
The division consists of 12 teams. Across the regular Premiership season, each side plays the others three times, making a total of 33 games.
The final five matches are then split into two sections: the Premiership Championship Group and the Premiership Relegation Group, with each team playing one game against the others in their group.
The top six teams go into the Championship Group to decide the league winner and European places, which are positions 1–4.
The bottom six form the Relegation Group, where the last two teams are relegated.
Points accumulated during the regular season still count going into this stage. The only change is that teams in the Championship Group do not play those in the Relegation Group, and vice versa.
So, back to Kelechi Iheanacho.
Knowing how decisive the final five games were, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say he was crucial to Celtic’s title win.
In fact, in the two matches he scored during the Championship period, both goals were winners.
His 72nd-minute strike against Hibernian on 3 May proved decisive in a 2-1 away win.
Then came the 90+9-minute penalty against Motherwell on 13 May, another match-winning moment on the road. That goal didn’t just win the game, it kept Celtic’s title hopes alive.
Taken together, those moments underline his impact. In Celtic’s league triumph this season, Iheanacho played a significant role.
On what this league win means for Kelechi Iheanacho, and how it could carry into what comes next with the Super Eagles of Nigeria.
His impact on the national team has dipped over the past two years, largely mirroring his club situation. Since leaving Leicester in 2024, he has struggled for consistency, with form and injuries making it difficult to settle anywhere.
In fact, Kelechi Iheanacho last played for Nigeria in May at the Unity Cup against Jamaica, a game the Super Eagles won to lift the trophy.
The problem, though, was simple. His club form no longer justified his place in the national team conversation.
Now, after playing a decisive role in Celtic’s title win during the most important stretch of the season, that conversation shifts again. Not completely, but noticeably.
Coaches notice players who deliver in pressure moments.
And for Iheanacho, who for almost a year had felt like a player drifting towards the edges of the Super Eagles picture, there is relevance around his name again.
This moment does not guarantee a return, obviously. But it certainly reopens the door.
