Celtic opened their Champions League campaign in dominant fashion, brushing aside Slovan Bratislava with a resounding 5-1 victory to claim their first win in the tournament’s group stage opener.
Brendan Rodgers, keen to play down expectations against the Slovakian debutants, nonetheless oversaw a commanding display from his side, who took control from the start.
The breakthrough came when Liam Scales rose highest to meet an Arne Engels corner, powering a header into the net as Celtic Park erupted.
After a composed first half, the Hoops doubled their lead shortly after the break through Kyogo Furuhashi, setting the tone for what would become a comprehensive rout.
Celtic’s dominance was further underlined when Engels, who was impressive throughout, stepped up to convert a penalty, becoming the first Celtic player to score on his Champions League debut since the legendary Henrik Larsson in 2001.
While Kevin Wimmer managed to pull one back for Slovan Bratislava, the Slovakian outfit were no match for Celtic’s relentless attacking play.
Daizen Maeda and Adam Idah both added their names to the scoresheet late on, ensuring Rodgers’ men secured their largest Champions League victory to date.
The comprehensive win sends a strong message to their group rivals, with Rodgers and his team now preparing to face Borussia Dortmund in their next fixture in Germany. The confidence and momentum from this victory will undoubtedly bolster their hopes of progressing in the competition.
Rangers legend Ally McCoist, on commentary duties for TNT Sports’ Manchester City vs Inter Milan match, couldn’t escape a playful jab from Peter Schmeichel, father of Celtic goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel.
“I was genuinely pleased for the Glasgow team (couldn’t call Celtic by their name),” McCoist quipped when asked about Celtic’s half-time lead.
He cheekily added: “It looked offside from here, definitely,” referring to Scales’ opening goal, though the grin on his face suggested he knew better.