Cruising into the Premier Sports Cup quarter-finals, Celtic thrashed Dundee United 4-0 at Tannadice, repeating the scoreline from their previous meeting. The Hoops' ruthless display came ahead of Wednesday's Champions League play-off.
Dominant Display in Tayside
Celtic handed the Tangerines back-to-back 4-0 defeats, with goals from Auston Trusty, Camilo Duran, Sebastian Tounekti, and Benjamin Nygren. The result marked another statement of intent from Martin O'Neill's side.
Viljami Sinisalo kept his second clean sheet in three games, though he was indebted to the woodwork on five occasions as Dundee United spurned numerous chances. The 24-year-old Finland goalkeeper's distribution remains a concern.
Key Performances
Benjamin Nygren was the standout, earning a nine rating. The Swede provided the corner for Trusty's opener, assisted Tounekti's goal, and then scored the fourth with a thunderous 18-yard strike. He now has three goals and three assists in three games.
Camilo Duran, the £6million signing from Qarabag, opened his Celtic account shortly after Trusty's header, pouncing on a loose ball in the box. The Colombian's relentless work rate impressed.
Sebastian Tounekti, making his first start, dazzled with a goal and an assist, while Callum McGregor, at 33, continued to dictate play in midfield. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, starting for the first time this season on his 33rd birthday, showed his technical quality with several incisive passes.
Defensive Solidity and Substitutes
Auston Trusty and Cameron Carter-Vickers formed a solid central defensive partnership, with Trusty scoring the opener. Liam Scales made his season debut at left-back, while Colby Donovan, 19, impressed at right-back in Alistair Johnston's absence.
Among the substitutes, Mika Baur, Dane Murray, Luke McCowan, James Forrest, and Haissem Hassan all saw action. Hassan, returning from injury, received a warm welcome but showed rust after a limited pre-season.
