Sebastian Tounekti collects possession on the left edge of the area, glides past his marker and notices a wave of Celtic shirts pouring into the box.
Among them is Junior Adamu. The forward only signed on transfer deadline day and was making his Parkhead debut. His influence was emphatic.
Well into stoppage time, Martin O’Neill’s men were staring at a cup exit against Dundee, only for their latest arrival to deliver when it mattered most.
It was Adamu who Tounekti picked out, and the finish oozed quality, guiding the ball into the bottom corner with his left foot. It was a brilliant flash of creativity and a moment of pure theatre. Paradise erupted.
Even so, O’Neill will recognise there is significant improvement required after a display that fell short of their usual standards. One of his main tasks now will be bedding Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain into the group as quickly as possible.
Midfield was arguably the standout issue on Saturday night.
What the future holds for Celtic’s midfield:
Regardless of who occupies the dugout, Callum McGregor remains a constant at the heart of Celtic’s midfield. Irrespective of the outcome, he is almost certain to feature.
However, those alongside him must offer more. The identity of his current partner remains very much open to discussion.
Arne Engels’ long-term prospects in Glasgow remain unclear after Nottingham Forest saw several winter bids knocked back, while Reo Hatate, Luke McCowan and Paulo Bernardo have struggled to impress.
Not too long ago, Hatate was labelled “the best player in Scotland” by the outspoken Chris Sutton, but that assessment feels distant now. The days when the Japanese midfielder flourished under Ange Postecoglou seem a long way off.
At his peak, he was an energetic box-to-box force, surging forward with intent and intensity. He contributed consistently in attacking areas and helped dictate the tempo. Now, he appears a pale imitation of that player.
A major concern has been his lack of urgency. Once capable of slicing open defences, Hatate now dwells on the ball and is caught in possession too often.
Against Dundee, there were multiple moments when a forward pass was available, yet he opted against it, choosing instead to recycle play and retain the ball safely.
With that in mind, O’Neill must accelerate Oxlade-Chamberlain’s integration. The former England international has not played competitively for several months due to his free-agent status, though he has been training with Arsenal to maintain fitness.
His arrival feels even more crucial given Bernardo’s showing alongside Hatate.
What’s going wrong for Bernardo at Celtic:
With Engels absent from the matchday squad and Oxlade-Chamberlain not registered in time, Bernardo was handed a rare opportunity in central midfield.
Unfortunately for the Portuguese 24-year-old, his display underlined why he has struggled for favour this season.
Under Brendan Rodgers, he featured 82 times overall but started just once early in the campaign. Wilfried Nancy also offered limited trust, handing him 164 minutes across four outings.
It appears O’Neill shares a similar view. Since returning to the Celtic dugout, Bernardo has accumulated only 200 minutes and has been largely peripheral.
In fact, he has not played a single Premiership minute since 30 December, when he completed 45 minutes in the 2-0 defeat to Motherwell. His performance against Dundee illustrated why.
The sides went in level at half-time, yet when they emerged for the second period, Bernardo was absent. He had been substituted for Benjamin Nygren, a decision that spoke volumes.
It was an anonymous display, contributing little with the ball when Celtic searched for a breakthrough and offering minimal defensive presence.
While Hatate also endured a difficult evening and Liam Scales bore responsibility for Dundee’s goal, neither struggled to the same extent as Bernardo. Being withdrawn at the interval says everything.
Based on that evidence, it raises questions about Celtic’s decision to decline loan offers for him in January. He does not appear equipped to start consistently, and it would be surprising if he regained a regular role under O’Neill.
Oxlade-Chamberlain needs to be brought up to speed swiftly, and Bernardo’s minutes may become increasingly scarce. If the manager required confirmation as to why opportunities have been limited, Saturday provided a clear answer.