Celtic edge Falkirk as Nygren strikes before the break to go second | OneFootball

Match in Five Sentences: Celtic beat Falkirk 1-0 at the Falkirk Stadium. Benjamin Nygren scored in the 43rd minute from an Arne Engels pass. Kasper Schmeichel then preserved the Hoops' lead with a string of stops as the Bairns pushed on after the restart. The Bairns registered six shots on target to the Bhoys' two, but the visitors controlled phases with 57.1% possession. The Hoops rise from third to second in the Premiership, while the Bairns stay sixth, with the Hoops visiting Auchinleck in the Scottish Cup next and the Bairns travelling to Hearts in the Scottish Cup.

Player of the Match: Schmeichel made six saves and kept a clean sheet, repeatedly denying the Bairns' best openings to turn Nygren's first half strike into three points.

Stat of the Match: The Bairns recorded six shots on target to the Bhoys' two, a workload Schmeichel handled superbly.

Three Things We Learned: The Hoops climb from third to second in the table on 44 points, tightening the chase at the top. The Bairns produced 11 attempts and delivered 31.6% crossing accuracy from 19 deliveries, yet they could not convert pressure into a goal. Nygren is up to 10 Scottish Premiership goals, third in the league scoring chart.