CELTIC STARTED the new Champions League format with a 5-1 win over Slovan Bratislava which eclipsed their biggest victory in the group stage era.
Brendan Rodgers declared before the game that his side were more ready than ever to make their mark on Europe’s elite competition and they vindicated his confidence as Liam Scales opened their campaign with a 17th-minute header.
The Scottish champions should have been out of sight by half-time but they finally found their range in the second half.
Goals from Kyogo Furuhashi, Arne Engels, Daizen Maeda and substitute Adam Idah sent Celtic second in the league.
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 the visitors had other chances apart from Kevin Wimmer’s goal.
But Slovan had gone through eight games of qualifying without defeat and the resounding nature of Celtic’s performance sparked a carnival atmosphere among a support who had to wait 10 years for a home group-stage win before seeing their team beat Feyenoord in a dead rubber last year.
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.
