Celtic 5-1 Slovan Bratislava: Hoops impress to win Champions League opener for first time

Match report from the Champions League league phase match between Celtic and Slovan Bratislava; Liam Scales opened the scoring; Kyogo Furuhashi doubled the lead with Arne Engels' penalty making it 3-0; Kevin Wimmer pulled a goal back for the hosts before Daizen Maeda and Adam Idah netted

Alison Conroy

Digital Sports Journalist @AlisonGConroy

Thursday 19 September 2024 06:11, UK

Celtic started their Champions League campaign with intent as they swept aside Slovan Bratislava 5-1 to win their opening match for the first time.

Brendan Rodgers was quick to dismiss their favourites tag against the competition debutants but they dominated from the first whistle and Liam Scales headed in the opener as Celtic Park erupted.

Kyogo Furuhashi doubled the lead just after the break before Arne Engels made it three from the penalty spot, becoming the first Hoops player to score on his Champions League debut since Henrik Larsson in 2001.

Kevin Wimmer pulled a goal back for the Slovakians before Daizen Maeda and Adam Idah struck as Celtic secured their biggest win in the Champions League.

Rodgers and his players will now hope to take that momentum and confidence into their next challenge when they face Borussia Dortmund in Germany next month.

Classy Celtic cruise to victory

On paper this was Celtic's best chance of three points, playing against a side who were making their debut at this level of the Champions League, and they showed their class with five different scorers in front of a sell-out crowd.

Maeda could easily have had Celtic two ahead before Scales netted. The winger fired over inside four minutes after being played in by Alistair Johnston after the home side broke Slovan's high press. He soon headed straight at the goalkeeper from six yards after a short corner.

The opener came from another corner as Engels whipped in an inswinger and Scales made good contact at the near post. Goalkeeper Dominik Takac could only palm the ball into the net.

Rodgers' side could have doubled their lead within 60 seconds when Nicolas Kuhn superbly set up Furuhashi but Takac saved.

The chances kept coming. Engels had a powerful shot parried, Kuhn mis-kicked from 10 yards, and Furuhashi skied over the crossbar after Reo Hatate put the ball on a plate.

However, Celtic could have gone in at half-time level had Vladimir Weiss not hesitated when played inside Alistair Johnston. The former Rangers winger, who was earlier booked for taking out Engels, delayed and saw his shot blocked.

Celtic's last two Champions League campaigns had been undermined by missed chances when on top and they came out after half-time seemingly determined to avoid a repeat.

Within two minutes, Kuhn waltzed to the byline and drove the ball across the face of goal for Furuhashi to force home.

Engels made it three in the 56th minute after Johnston had been felled with a high challenge from Danylo Ihnatenko.

Both second-half goalscorers also forced saves as Celtic pinned Slovan back as their supporters revelled in their dominance.

However, sliced clearances from both Cameron Carter-Vickers and Greg Taylor offered Wimmer the chance to guide a shot into the top corner from 15 yards.

But Celtic were soon back on top. Takac scrambled to stop Callum McGregor's long-range effort and Maeda slotted home in the 70th minute as Celtic's Japanese trio combined to cut the Slovakian champions open.

Idah then netted his first goal of the season after being played in by fellow sub James Forrest with three minutes left.

Rodgers hails 'sensational' Celtic

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers:

"The competition stops now and we play Bayern Munich in the final!

"It was a great night for everyone, you just sensed it before the game. The feeling in the crowd.

"So proud of the team, the intensity in which we played at with and without the ball was so good.

"I thought we played well in the first half, got the early goal we wanted and had other opportunities to be more clinical but I just felt we were one touch 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 result

Former Celtic midfielder Stiliyan Petrov on Sky Sports News:

"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 looked comfortable, well balanced and moved the ball well, although Slovan did not offer anything and really struggled to find a solution against Celtic's play.

"And Celtic were deserved 5-1 winners, with a very satisfying result."