Kelechi Iheanacho says “God of Soccer was on our side” after helping Celtic complete a dramatic comeback victory over Heart of Midlothian to win the Scottish Premiership title on the final day of the season.
The Nigerian forward played a key second-half role as Celtic overturned a 1-0 deficit to beat Hearts 3-1 at Celtic Park and secure a fifth consecutive league crown in one of the most dramatic title races in recent Scottish football history.
Kelechi Iheanacho applauding the fans. PhotoCredit: Imago
Still clutching the trophy during his post-match interview, Iheanacho admitted the emotions of the occasion had not yet settled.
“It feels good, it feels so good. I can’t let go of this trophy,” Iheanacho said.
Celtic entered the final day knowing only a victory would be enough after Iheanacho’s controversial 99th-minute penalty winner against Motherwell in midweek kept their title hopes alive.
Asked about the pressure of entering the match with Celtic needing goals, the former Leicester City striker revealed the tension inside Celtic Park was enormous.
“It was a big tension and it’s a massive pressure, but we know what to do today and we did it,” he said.
“They were a very strong side but God of Soccer was on our side today.”
Hearts had looked set to pull off a historic title triumph after taking the lead before halftime through Lawrence Shankland, while a draw would have been enough for the Edinburgh side to clinch their first league crown since 1960.
However, Celtic responded through an Arne Engels penalty before late goals from Daizen Maeda and Callum Osmand completed a remarkable turnaround that sparked wild celebrations at Celtic Park.
The triumph also marked a deeply personal moment after difficult spells at Sevilla and Middlesbrough for Iheanacho before his move to Scotland last summer.
“It’s another silverware for me. I haven’t won a silverware for a while now, so I’m happy I won a silverware with this massive club,” he added.
Since arriving at Celtic, Iheanacho has enjoyed a remarkable resurgence, producing several decisive moments during the title run-in, including dramatic late winners against Kilmarnock, Dundee Hibernian and Motherwell.
With the Premiership title secured, Celtic will now turn attention to the Scottish Cup final against Dunfermline Athletic as they chase a domestic double while Kelechi will also evaluate his contract situation with the club in the coming days.
