Celtic’s attacking debate has shifted, and there is now a decision that cannot be avoided.
Celtic needed extra time to beat St Mirren 6-2 and book their place in the final. The scoreline looks comfortable, but the path to it was not.
The game was still in the balance in extra-time before Celtic eventually broke clear with a four-goal blitz in six minutes at Hampden.
That late surge tells one story. What came within it tells another.
Should Celtic hand Kelechi Iheanacho a new contract?
Celtic breakthrough changes the selection conversation
Celtic found their edge when it mattered, and it came from a player who had not been central to the starting picture. Kelechi Iheanacho scored twice in extra time to turn a tight semi-final into a convincing result.
The timing of those goals matters as much as the finish. This was not a contribution in a settled game, it was the moment that decided it.
Celtic now face a call Bonner has already made clear
Pat Bonner addressed the moment directly on BBC Radio Scotland. His assessment did not leave much room for interpretation.
“They’ve taken their goals very, very well in this period. Iheanacho, both his goals were, the first one header into the back of the net, but the second one was taken superbly.
“Do you start with Iheanacho now? You’ve got five games, and you’ve got Forrest who’s got great confidence out of this game today.
“Do you go with them because the rest of them haven’t been producing, that’s the point.”
That last line is the part that matters. It shifts this from praise into pressure.
Celtic now have a player delivering decisive moments at the exact point others are being questioned. That contrast is no longer theoretical, Iheanacho proved it in a semi-final.
The decision is not about potential or rotation. It is about output, and the Celtic striker has given Martin O’Neill something to think about here.
Celtic have their evidence, and the debate has moved with it. The only question left is whether O’Neill will take the plunge and put trust in the Celtic striker.
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