European nights at Celtic Park – it doesn’t get much better than that, does it?
Such occasions have flattered to deceive in recent memory, but not on Wednesday evening, with the Scottish champions having been at their rampant best up against LASK Linz.
It was chalk and cheese from that ‘Almaty disaster’ against Kairat a year ago, the Glasgow side are simply a different prospect now, even without the likes of Arne Engels and the injured Alistair Johnston.
Spearheaded by new man Camilo Duran, alongside emerging talisman, Benjamin Nygren, the Hoops potentially have one foot in the Champions League proper following that thumping 3-0 win.
Duran & Nygren steal the headlines in stunning Celtic win
It’s been a positive start to the season all round for Celtic, and none more so than for that man Nygren, the free-scoring Swede netting for the fourth game in succession to open the scoring this time around.
He’s had his critics, but let’s put that to bed now – this boy can play.
Time and again, the 24-year-old delivers the goods, and in style too, his latest strike dispatched in what is becoming almost trademark fashion to send Parkhead into a frenzy.
Encouragingly for Martin O’Neill‘s side, Nygren doesn’t need to do it all alone, it would seem, with the aforementioned Duran truly announcing himself with a breakout performance in front of the Hoops faithful.
The man who scored five Champions League goals for Qarabag last season looks right at home at this level, having almost immediately eclipsed Nygren’s effort with a ridiculous left-footed volley into the top right-hand corner.
A second was added late on following some fine combination play, the £5.5m Colombian pouncing on Nygren’s layoff to rifle in another stunning strike on his lethal left peg.
You can’t say Duran didn’t deserve his moment of glory either, having again been such a weapon both in and out of possession, filling the shoes of Daizen Maeda and then some on this early evidence.
There have been troubled times at Celtic over the past 12 months or so, but a brighter future appears to lie ahead – and not just because of the forward line.
How Duran & Nygren were outshone against LASK
On another day, the visitors might have had two or three themselves if not for having strayed offside, but those early scares aside, the Premiership outfit were particularly resolute defensively.
The likes of Cameron Carter-Vickers and Auston Trusty certainly grew into the game after a few shaky moments initially, while Viljami Sinisalo dealt with everything that game his way in a stable showing in the sticks.
The greatest credit, however, must surely go to young Colby Donovan, the academy graduate arguably stealing the show with his all-round performance at right-back.
Now, the word is that Celtic may be seeking out a new right-back amid Johnston’s absence, with the versatile Niko Sigur also under consideration. If Donovan has his way, however, that role may be his to lose while the Canadian remains sidelined.
It wasn’t a perfect display, but there was so much to like about what the 19-year-old offered, having firmly repaid O’Neill’s faith after getting the nod ahead of Anthony Ralston.
|
Celtic Player Ratings vs LASK |
|
|---|---|
|
Player |
Rating |
|
GK – Sinisalo |
7 |
|
RB – Donovan |
9 |
|
CB – Carter-Vickers |
7 |
|
CB – Trusty |
7 |
|
LB – Tierney |
6 |
|
CM – McGregor |
6 |
|
CM – Baur |
7 |
|
AM – Nygren |
8 |
|
RW – Duran |
9 |
|
ST – Hogh |
7 |
|
LW – Yang |
6 |
The odd pass or two went astray, yet the youngster’s range of passing really is to be admired, memorably picking out Duran with a delightful lofted ball in behind early in the first-half.
His ability to play out from the back and in tight areas is to his credit, with the away side getting little joy down that flank, such was the relentlessness of Donovan’s display both on and off the ball.
Indeed, he made the second-most defensive contributions of any player on the pitch (ten), while also leading the way in terms of clearances made (seven).
In possession, the promising Scot racked up the most touches of any player (107), while his tally of three key passes was only bettered by LASK skipper, Sascha Horvath (four).
His tally of 67 accurate passes was also the fourth-best for either side, only perhaps held back on the odd occasion by his eagerness to ping the ball over the top.
Considering his age and relative lack of experience at this elite level, it’s hard to look past Donovan as the standout player on the pitch, with many likely to have tipped him to be a potential weak link rather than a shining light.
As already noted, Duran will get the headlines, as Nygren so often did last season, but scratch a little beneath the surface, and it’s the performance of Donovan that O’Neill should be most heartened by.
Just like Callum McGregor, Kieran Tierney and James Forrest before him, Celtic might have a standout academy talent to get behind once again.
