Daizen Maeda had a solid night for Celtic, scoring once from four shots.
Celtic overwhelmed Slovan Bratislava with a commanding 5-1 victory at Celtic Park marking their first-ever win in the opening game of a Champions League campaign. Brendan Rodgers’ side, beginning a European fixture as favorites for the first time in recent memory, delivered an energetic and precise performance that delighted the home crowd. The Scottish champions took the lead with a header from Liam Scales off an Arne Engels corner in the 17th minute.
Despite creating several chances before halftime, Celtic couldn’t add to their tally. Early in the second half, Kyogo Furuhashi extended their lead by redirecting a Nicolas Kuhn cross. Engels then scored from the penalty spot after Alistair Johnston was fouled by Danylo Ihnatenko. Kevin Wimmer briefly interrupted the celebrations with a remarkable strike for Slovan. However, Reo Hatate’s assist enabled Daizen Maeda to quickly restore Celtic’s three-goal lead.
James Forrest then set up Adam Idah to complete the rout. Celtic’s performance was a refreshing departure from their recent European struggles as they had failed to win their opening Champions League match in 12 previous attempts. Rodgers, who had won only two of his 18 previous European games with Celtic, praised the team’s effort and expressed optimism for the rest of the campaign.
The addition of record signing Engels proved influential and Celtic’s fluid play exposed Slovan’s defensive weaknesses. Slovan Bratislava making their Champions League debut, struggled to match Celtic’s intensity and appeared out of their depth. Despite a few moments of promise including Wimmer’s goal, the Slovakian side couldn’t cope with Celtic’s attacking prowess.
In summary:
– Celtic won their first Champions League opener in 13 attempts.
– They scored five goals in a European match for the first time since 1977.
– The victory featured five different scorers, a first since 1973.
– Engels was the second Celtic player to both score and assist on his Champions League debut.
– Kasper Schmeichel, at 37, became the oldest player to appear for Celtic in the competition.
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