Pulling a late victory out of the bag can be put down to luck. Doing it regularly requires far more than that, however.
Celtic’s ability to get over the line by hook or by crook may yet prove to be the difference when the destination of this season’s Premiership title is decided.
Ninety-seven minutes were played at Rugby Park yesterday, and Martin O’Neill’s men needed every one of them to get the job done. Julian Araujo was the unlikely hero, hammering the ball home with just a few seconds of this bonkers contest remaining.
It kept Celtic’s title ambitions alive and kicking on a day when they had trailed by two goals to Kilmarnock after 28 minutes, only to turn the game around.
You can question the quality of this team, but there is no shortage of character. The new boys have certainly helped in that regard.
Last week Junior Adamu kept them in the Scottish Cup with a dramatic leveller against Dundee. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain then came to the rescue against Livingston in midweek. This time it was Araujo, amid scenes of badlam as he leapt in among visiting fans to celebrate.
Julian Araujo runs away to celebrate after scoring winner for Celtic in 97th minute
The Mexican international leaps over the advertising boards into the away end at Rugby Park
Araujo prepares to party with ecstatic Celtic fans after his dramatic late goal made it 3-2
This was an afternoon when Celtic’s task couldn’t be simpler. The performance was always going to be secondary to getting points on the board.
That seemed an impossible task at half-time thanks to goals from the excellent Tyreece John-Jules and Joe Hugill. In all honesty, Celtic were lucky they were only two down at the break.
Sebastian Tounekti scored off the bench to spark the visitors into life, with Benjamin Nygren drawing Celtic level midway through the second period before Araujo’s stunner.
It was harsh on Neil McCann’s Killie, who must have been wondering how they didn’t come away with something. Right from the off, they were all over Celtic.
Findlay Curtis was first to try his luck from range, arrowing a low effort just wide of Kasper Schmeichel’s right-hand post.
It was an energetic start from the on-loan Rangers man, and he went close again 13 minutes in, driving unopposed towards the area before getting a powerful effort away which was well held by the Celtic keeper.
It was hard to recall the visitors putting five passes together in the opening quarter. Kilie’s press had them all over the place.
Daizen Maeda got a rare touch of the ball 20 minutes in, cutting in from the left and firing straight at Kelle Roos.
Sebastian Tounekti pulled a goal back for Celtic after they had trailed by two goals
Benjamin Nygren than had the visitors level after scoring in the 64th minute of a thriller
That set the scene for Julian Araujo to emerge as the unlikely hero in stoppage time
Thirty seconds later, it was 1-0 to McCann’s side.
Making his first league start for the club since joining from Manchester United in January, Hugill released strike partner John-Jules on halfway.
The big man appeared to be caught in two minds as he made his way into the box, but eventually steadied himself before taking a step away from Auston Trusty and curling a wonderful right-footed strike into the bottom corner.
Trusty, who was a bomb scare all afternoon. didn’t do anywhere near enough. Take nothing away from the finish, though. It was no more than the hosts deserved.
For anyone expecting some sort of Celtic response, Killie simply didn’t give them the chance. The home side’s second goal arrived seven minutes later.
This time, John-Jules was the provider, dinking a delightful ball towards the front post for Hugill, who stole a yard on LIam Scales and flicked a header beyond the reach of Schmeichel. Not a bad way to net your first goal for the club.
Roos had to be sharp at the other end moments later. He kept Yang Hyun-jun’s effort out at the back post after the winger had ghosted in behind Dom Thompson to get a toe on Kieran Tierney’s cross.
Scales then headed wide from a decent position in the last action of the first half.
Manager Martin O’Neill – marking his 300th game in the Celtic dugout – could have hooked the entire team at the break. To a man, they were hopeless.
In the end, he plumped for just the three changes, with Oxlade-Chamberlain, Sebastian Tounekti and Tomas Cvancara replacing Hatate, Yang and Adamu.
The latter had at least tried to put himself about a bit in the first period, but had very little to work with.
It was perhaps a surprise that Hatate even started this one given his performances of late. The Japanese midfielder – who conceded the penalty against Livi in midweek – looks like a guy who can’t get out of town soon enough.
It was a tough day for Kilmarnock boss Neil McCann after watching his team take a two-goal lead
Araujo leaps into the crowd after the most dramatic of winners in an enthralling game
Celtic fans hug Araujo after his late, late intervention in a 3-2 win over Kilmarnock
The Celtic full-back celebrates after he saved the day for Martin O’Neill’s title chasers
It wasn’t too long ago that he was rightly being tipped for a big-money move. He’s kidding himself on if he thinks there is going to be a long list of suitors if this kind of form continues. Celtic can ill-afford any passengers going into the next few months.
There was far more intent from O’Neill’s men after the interval, with Tounekti clearly the go-to guy. The game plan paid off in stunning style as the Tunisian reduced the deficit on 55 minutes.
Given far too much time to cut inside from the left, he unleashed an inch-perfect strike into the top left-hand corner. Roos had no chance.
Wide man Touekti is often guilty of flattering to deceive. He’s come off the bench three times in the past eight days, however, and has made a big impact on each occasion.
His goal had come just after Schmeichel made a big save with his feet to deny Greg Kiltie from close range, with the hosts looking to put the game out of reach.
It was all square within 10 minutes. This time, Benjamin Nygren was in the right place at the right time to prod home after Killie failed to clear their lines from a routine throw-in.
For whatever reason, Celtic fans are still yet to be convinced by the Swede. After netting his 13th Premiership goal of the campaign, he must be wondering what more he has to do? The team wouldn’t be in a title race if it wasn’t for him.
To be fair, Killie did well to regain a foothold, and passed up a great chance to take the lead once again when Robbie Deas somehow headed over from six yards with 20 minutes left.
John-Jules then went even closer, cannoning a long-range free-kick off the bar with Schmeichel grasping at thin air.
With less than 20 seconds on the clock, Celtic found a priceless winner through Araujo, with the Bournemouth loanee blasting high into the net after Cvancara’s low ball from the byline evaded everyone else. Cue ecstatic scenes in the away end as the Mexican international partied with fans .