St Mirren shared a dramatic 3-3 draw with Motherwell in a Scottish Premiership six-goal thriller in Paisley. The Buddies came from two goals behind to lead before a 93rd-minute debut goal from Motherwell's new signing Jardell Kanga snatched a point. This report was first carried by The Scotsman Football.
How did St Mirren fight back?
St Mirren found themselves trailing after goals from Tawanda Maswanhise and Regan Charles-Cook put Motherwell two ahead. The home side's response was swift and clinical. Paul Nsio, Declan John, and Samuel Ramos all found the net in a blistering nine-minute spell between the 39th and 48th minutes, completely turning the match on its head before halftime. Manager Craig McLeish felt his team deserved all three points for that first-half display.
What is the latest on Killian Phillips?
Irish midfielder Killian Phillips missed the match due to a shin injury sustained during St Mirren's Premier Sports Cup exit to Rangers earlier in August. McLeish estimated Phillips might miss another week of action before returning to training. The player has also been the subject of transfer speculation ahead of Thursday's deadline. "Nothing else official has come in." McLeish said. He added that the club would consider any offer that was too good to refuse for either party. Fans can monitor the squad's availability on our injuries page.
Who is Motherwell's new lethal finisher?
The late equaliser was scored by Motherwell's newest recruit, Jardell Kanga, who signed from Finnish side Ilves just days before the match. Manager Alfred Johansson was full of praise for his debutant. "It’s brilliant for him to go on and score in his first game." Johansson said. He described Kanga as a lethal finisher who is creative, can combine with teammates, and operate effectively in tight spaces, predicting he will be a player to watch in the final third.
Where does this leave St Mirren?
The draw gives St Mirren seven points from their opening nine available ahead of a midweek match against Kilmarnock. Looking at the broader season, the club currently sits 4th in the Premiership with 6 points from two wins in their opening two games. They have scored 3 goals and conceded none, leaving them with a +3 goal difference and three points behind leaders Celtic. Their next league fixture is an away trip to face Hibernian on December 30th. You can follow the team's progress in the standings and view the full schedule on our fixtures page.
What was the match context?
Motherwell showed no signs of fatigue less than 72 hours after their Conference League exit to Freiburg. They took an early lead and even had a penalty saved, with Tawanda Maswanhise missing from the spot. Alfred Johansson was disappointed with how his side finished the first half but proud of their spirit to fight back for a point. For St Mirren, Jake Young passed up a golden chance to win the game near full-time. The result leaves Motherwell with five points prior to hosting Dundee United.
