Kilmarnock 2–3 Celtic: Araujo's 97th-minute strike completes sensational comeback
Julian Araujo slammed home a 97th-minute winner to complete Celtic's remarkable recovery from 2-0 down and secure a 3-2 Scottish Premiership victory at Rugby Park. The result keeps Martin O'Neill's side very much in the title picture after an eventful afternoon in Ayrshire.
From two down to triumphant: how the turnaround unfolded
Celtic were stunned in the first half as Kilmarnock raced into a two-goal lead. Tyreece John-Jules opened the scoring with a curling effort after shaky defending, and Joe Hugill added a header to make it 2-0 before the break. The home side looked comfortable and were in full control heading into the interval.
O'Neill responded with a bold tactical shake-up at half-time, bringing on three substitutes including an experienced attacking option in Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. The changes altered the momentum. Sebastian Tounekti sparked the revival with a superb 25-yard strike that peeled back the deficit and injected belief into the visitors.
Eight minutes later, Celtic were level when a long throw from Araujo was not properly cleared and Benjamin Nygren finished from close range to make it 2-2. The goal underlined Celtic's persistence and ability to punish defensive lapses, with Nygren adding another important finish to his season tally.
Dramatic finale, missed chances and the wider implications
Despite the comeback, Kilmarnock had chances to win it. John-Jules, who had been prolific earlier in the week, struck the crossbar with a stunning free-kick before departing with a thigh problem. Robbie Deas headed over from close range after a dangerous set-piece phase, and at times the home side looked the more likely winners.
Celtic, however, kept probing and were rewarded deep into stoppage time. From a late corner, the ball fell to Araujo inside the box and he drilled it home to spark wild celebrations among the visiting fans and players. It was a dramatic finish that underscored the margin for error in a tight title race.
Beyond the moment, the result has clear ramifications. The win moves Celtic closer to the summit with a game in hand, maintaining pressure on the leading sides as the season enters its run-in. For Kilmarnock, it is a bitter pill to swallow after holding a comfortable half-time advantage and coming so close to delivering a memorable upset at Rugby Park.
Injury concerns will be monitored after the match, with Kilmarnock forced into an early substitution when John-Jules came off. Both managers will now turn their attention to the next fixtures, where momentum and squad fitness could prove decisive as the title race tightens.
For neutral observers, Sunday’s match provided all the ingredients of a classic: early dominance overturned by tactical bravery, quality goals, late drama and a winner that arrived in the dying seconds. The Premiership picture has shifted again, and this will be one of the results revisited often as the campaign reaches its climax.
