Celtic began their Champions League marketing campaign with intent as they swept apart Slovan Bratislava 5-1 to win their opening match for the primary time.
Brendan Rodgers was fast to dismiss their favourites tag in opposition to the competitors debutants however they dominated from the primary whistle and Liam Scales headed within the opener as Celtic Park erupted.
Kyogo Furuhashi doubled the lead simply after the break earlier than Arne Engels made it three from the penalty spot, changing into the primary Hoops participant to attain on his Champions League debut since Henrik Larsson in 2001.
Kevin Wimmer pulled a aim again for the Slovakians earlier than Daizen Maeda and Adam Idah struck as Celtic secured their largest win within the Champions League.
Rodgers and his gamers will now hope to take that momentum and confidence into their subsequent problem once they face Borussia Dortmund in Germany subsequent month.
Stylish Celtic cruise to victory
On paper this was Celtic’s finest likelihood of three factors, enjoying in opposition to a facet who had been making their debut at this stage of the Champions League, and so they confirmed their class with 5 totally different scorers in entrance of a sell-out crowd.
Maeda might simply have had Celtic two forward earlier than Scales netted. The winger fired over inside 4 minutes after being performed in by Alistair Johnston after the house facet broke Slovan’s excessive press. He quickly headed straight on the goalkeeper from six yards after a brief nook.
The opener got here from one other nook as Engels whipped in an inswinger and Scales made good contact on the close to submit. Goalkeeper Dominik Takac might solely palm the ball into the online.
Rodgers’ facet might have doubled their lead inside 60 seconds when Nicolas Kuhn fantastically arrange Furuhashi however Takac saved.
The possibilities saved coming. Engels had a strong shot parried, Kuhn mis-kicked from 10 yards, and Furuhashi skied over the crossbar after Reo Hatate put the ball on a plate.
Arne Engels scored on his Champions League debut for Celtic
Nevertheless, Celtic might have gone in at half-time stage had Vladimir Weiss not hesitated when performed inside Alistair Johnston. The previous Rangers winger, who was earlier booked for taking out Engels, delayed and noticed his shot blocked.
Celtic’s final two Champions League campaigns had been undermined by missed possibilities when on high and so they got here out after half-time seemingly decided to keep away from a repeat.
Inside two minutes, Kuhn waltzed to the byline and drove the ball throughout the face of aim for Furuhashi to pressure house.
Engels made it three within the 56th minute after Johnston had been felled with a excessive problem from Danylo Ihnatenko.
Kevin Wimmer pulled a aim again for Slovan Bratislava
Each second-half goalscorers additionally compelled saves as Celtic pinned Slovan again as their supporters revelled of their dominance.
Nevertheless, sliced clearances from each Cameron Carter-Vickers and Greg Taylor supplied Wimmer the possibility to information a shot into the highest nook from 15 yards.
Adam Idah (L) celebrates scoring to make it 5-1 with James Forrest
However Celtic had been quickly again on high. Takac scrambled to cease Callum McGregor’s long-range effort and Maeda slotted house within the seventieth minute as Celtic’s Japanese trio mixed to chop the Slovakian champions open.
Idah then netted his first aim of the season after being performed in by fellow sub James Forrest with three minutes left.
Rodgers hails ‘sensational’ Celtic
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Celtic supervisor Brendan Rodgers heaped reward on his gamers after their emphatic 5-1 win in opposition to Slovan Bratislava of their Champions League opener.
Celtic supervisor Brendan Rodgers:
“The competition stops now and we play Bayern Munich in the final!
“It was an amazing evening for everybody, you simply sensed it earlier than the sport. The sensation within the crowd.
“So proud of the team, the intensity in which we played at with and without the ball was so good.
“I believed we performed effectively within the first half, obtained the early aim we needed and had different alternatives to be extra scientific however I simply felt we had been one contact too many.
“The second half, from the off, the players were absolutely sensational in the game. Just everything – mentality, hunger, greedy for more goals and we could have had more than five.”
Story of the match in stats…
Petrov: A satisfying end result
Former Celtic midfielder Stiliyan Petrov on Sky Sports activities Information:
“Great start, the most satisfying thing was the performance, they were relentless, pushing from the start, waves of attacks, five great goals and they could have scored a few more.
“They appeared comfy, effectively balanced and moved the ball effectively, though Slovan didn’t provide something and actually struggled to discover a answer in opposition to Celtic’s play.
“And Celtic were deserved 5-1 winners, with a very satisfying result.”
