Celtic have one foot in the Champions League proper after a stunning 3-0 win over LASK. First-half screamers from Benjamin Nygren and Camilo Duran settled the nerves after the visitors had two goals disallowed. Colombian phenomenon Duran then bagged a priceless third to put the Hoops in dreamland and give them a commanding first-leg advantage. Martin O'Neill's men are now on the brink of securing a £40million ticket back into the prestigious league phase as they seek to get the job done next week in Austria.
Goalkeeper and Defence Shine
Viljami Sinisalo earned an 8 rating. The Finn was kept busy early on and picked the ball out of his net after just 28 seconds, only for Moses Usor's wonderstrike to be ruled out for offside. LASK continued to pile on the pressure but Sinisalo was assured between the sticks, making three smart saves. The new No1 thought he'd conceded from Samuel Adeniran's free header but once again the flag came to Celtic's rescue. He made an excellent save to deny Usor from close range.
Colby Donovan, rated 8, made sure Canada World Cup star Alistair Johnston wasn't missed. The teenager, 19, showed maturity beyond his years with a full-blooded, all-action display. The right-back combined well with Duran, including a brilliant diagonal which the Colombian fluffed. He defended heroically and made a vital interception just when LASK were about to pull the trigger inside the box. Cameron Carter-Vickers, also rated 8, was caught cold early but grew into the game and was utterly dominant in the air, making crucial blocks. Auston Trusty, rated 7, was relatively solid, making powerful headed clearances from set-pieces. Kieran Tierney, rated 8, played a part in both of Celtic's first-half goals, including a looping cross before Nygren's opener and an interception that led to Duran's volley.
Midfield and Attack Impress
Callum McGregor, rated 8, was chasing shadows early on but began to impose himself as Celtic found their rhythm. He smashed the inside post with a deflected effort and made a goal-saving sliding clearance. Mika Baur, rated 8, was a bundle of energy on his full debut, threading penetrating passes and covering plenty of ground before cramping up just after the hour mark. Benjamin Nygren, rated 9, opened the scoring with a left-footed screamer and then grabbed an assist by teeing up Duran for Celtic's third, taking his tally to eight goals and assists in four games. The playmaker has also scored in every game this season.
Yang, rated 7, fared okay on the left, drifting inside to cause havoc and putting in a dedicated defensive shift. Kasper Hogh, rated 7, got himself into dangerous areas but couldn't connect with crosses, though his hold-up play improved. Camilo Duran, rated 9, scored a sublime volley to make it 2-0 and then notched a magnificent second, curling a left-footed beauty into the far corner. He also put in the hard yards defensively to protect Donovan.
Substitutes and Unused Players
Substitutes included Reo Hatate, who added composure and fresh legs for the final half hour, earning a 4 rating. Liam Scales replaced a jaded Tierney, providing extra height for set-pieces, also rated 4. Sebastian Tounekti came on for Yang for the final 15 minutes and was wiped out by Jorgensen late on, earning a 3 rating. Anthony Ralston was brought on for Donovan, who ran out of steam, also rated 3. Haissem Hassan made his home debut as a late sub for man of the match Duran, earning a 2 rating. Unused subs included Ross Doohan, Dane Murray, Luke McCowan, Michel-Ange Balikwisha, James Forrest, Callum Osmand, and Johnny Kenny.
