Sebastian Tounekti collected the ball on the left edge of the area, slipped past his marker and looked up to see green and white shirts pouring forward.
Among them was Junior Adamu. Signed on deadline day and making his first appearance at Celtic Park, the striker delivered when it mattered most. Deep into stoppage time, with Martin O’Neill’s side staring at a shock Scottish Cup exit against Dundee, the newcomer provided the moment of salvation.
Tounekti picked out Adamu, who showed real composure to guide a left footed finish into the bottom corner. It was an inspired piece of play, a flash of quality that sent the stadium into raptures and kept Celtic alive.
Yet for all the drama and joy, the performance left O’Neill with plenty to ponder. Celtic were well below their best for long spells, and the midfield in particular caused concern. Getting Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain integrated quickly now feels vital.
Midfield questions for O’Neill
Callum McGregor remains the constant in the centre of the pitch. Whatever the system or result, he is almost always the first name on the team sheet. The issue lies in who lines up alongside him.
Arne Engels’ future remains uncertain after Nottingham Forest saw multiple winter bids turned away. Meanwhile, Reo Hatate, Luke McCowan and Paulo Bernardo have struggled to make a convincing case for themselves.
Hatate was once talked up as one of the standout players in the country, with Chris Sutton among his loudest admirers. Those days feel distant. Under Ange Postecoglou he was dynamic, driving forward from midfield, linking play and contributing at both ends. That energy has faded.
Now he looks hesitant on the ball, slow to release passes and often opts for the safe option rather than trying to unlock a defence. Against Dundee there were several moments when a forward pass was on, only for him to turn back and recycle possession.
With that in mind, Oxlade-Chamberlain’s arrival takes on even greater significance. Although he has been without a club for several months, he has kept himself ticking over by training with Arsenal, so fitness should not be a major barrier once he settles in.
Bernardo running out of chances
The urgency to get the former England international up to speed was heightened by Paulo Bernardo’s display. With Engels absent and Oxlade-Chamberlain not yet eligible, the Portuguese midfielder was handed a rare start.
It did little to help his case. At 24, he again showed why several managers have struggled to trust him. Under Brendan Rodgers he featured regularly in terms of appearances but was rarely selected from the start. Wilfried Nancy used him sparingly too, and O’Neill has followed the same pattern since returning.
Bernardo has barely been seen in the Premiership since late December, and his showing against Dundee explained why. He offered almost nothing in possession as Celtic searched for a breakthrough and failed to influence the game defensively either.
When the teams emerged for the second half, Bernardo was gone, replaced by Benjamin Nygren. That decision told its own story.
Hatate struggled and Liam Scales will shoulder blame for the Dundee goal, but Bernardo’s contribution was the most forgettable of all. Being hooked at the interval spoke volumes.
Given that, it raises eyebrows that Celtic turned down loan offers for him in January. On current evidence, it is hard to see him starting regularly under O’Neill again.
The message is clear. Oxlade-Chamberlain needs to be brought up to speed quickly, and Bernardo should not expect many minutes. If there were any doubts about his standing in the squad, Saturday night likely settled them.