In a dramatic late twist at Dens Park, substitute Kelechi Iheanacho's 81st-minute strike secured a vital 2-1 victory for Celtic over Dundee, keeping Martin O'Neill's side firmly in the Scottish Premiership title race.
With just nine minutes remaining and the score level at 1-1, it appeared Celtic were heading for another frustrating result in a season filled with setbacks. However, Iheanacho's clinical finish from Marcelo Saracchi's cross breathed new life into their championship aspirations.
"Of course you're thinking 'maybe it's not our day,' but the one thing about this side is that we have shown some really great spirit," O'Neill said after the match. "We may be lacking some things as a team, but we have a really good spirit and that can carry us through."
The victory proved particularly significant as league leaders Hearts dropped points earlier in the day with a 2-2 draw at Livingston. Celtic knew they couldn't afford to miss this opportunity to close the gap.
Celtic's path to victory wasn't straightforward. Yang Hyun-jun gave the visitors an early lead, but January signing Tomas Cvancara squandered multiple chances to extend their advantage. Dundee capitalized on their reprieve when Simon Murray converted a second-half penalty to equalize.
O'Neill emphasized the importance of the result: "We could not afford to drop points today and those three points will galvanize us and keep us going. It was so, so important for us to win today."
Statistical evidence supports O'Neill's claims about his team's resilience. No Premiership side has collected more points from losing positions than Celtic this season (13), while only Rangers (16) have scored more goals in the final 10 minutes of matches than Celtic's 13.
This victory marked a significant turnaround for Celtic, who had lost all three of their previous matches in Dundee this season, including a defeat at Tannadice just before the international break.
The result comes during a turbulent period for the club, which has seen managerial changes and instability since Brendan Rodgers' departure in October. O'Neill was initially brought in to steady the ship before handing over to Wilfried Nancy in December, only for the Frenchman to be dismissed after just 33 days in charge.
Despite the off-field challenges, Celtic's fighting spirit remains intact as they continue their pursuit of the Premiership title with crucial matches ahead.