Celtic vs Slovan – Celtic kicked off their Champions League campaign in style, crushing Slovan Bratislava 5-1 in their opening match.
Despite Brendan Rodgers dismissing Celtic’s tag as favorites, they took control early. Liam Scales headed in the first goal, igniting a vibrant Celtic Park.
Kyogo Furuhashi doubled Celtic’s advantage just after halftime, followed by a penalty from Arne Engels. He became the first Celtic player to score on his Champions League debut since Henrik Larsson in 2001.
Slovan Bratislava pulled one back through Kevin Wimmer, but Celtic responded swiftly with goals from Daizen Maeda and Adam Idah, sealing their biggest Champions League victory.
Rodgers now aims to carry this momentum into their next group match against Borussia Dortmund in Germany.
Celtic in Control from the Start
Celtic’s Liam Scales opened the scoring, celebrating in front of the home crowd. Playing against Champions League newcomers Slovan Bratislava, Celtic took their chance to shine with five different scorers.
Maeda had an early opportunity to put Celtic two ahead but missed after receiving a pass from Alistair Johnston, who capitalized on Slovan’s high press. Maeda’s header, moments later, went straight into the goalkeeper’s hands.
Dominant Celtic Strike
Celtic’s first goal came from a corner. Arne Engels whipped in an inswinger, and Scales made solid contact at the near post. Dominik Takac, Slovan’s keeper, managed to touch it, but the ball still found the net.
Rodgers’ men could have doubled their lead immediately when Nicolas Kuhn set up Furuhashi, but Takac denied him.
Celtic continued to press. Engels had a shot saved, Kuhn mistimed from close range, and Furuhashi sent one over after Reo Hatate’s perfect pass.
Despite Celtic’s dominance, Slovan almost leveled just before halftime. Vladimir Weiss hesitated after being played through by Johnston, and his shot was blocked.
Determined to Avoid Missed Chances
Celtic’s recent Champions League campaigns have been marred by missed opportunities. However, after the break, they looked determined to change that narrative.
Just two minutes into the second half, Kuhn dribbled to the byline and crossed for Furuhashi to tap in Celtic’s second goal.
Then, Engels made it 3-0 with a penalty after Johnston was fouled by Danylo Ihnatenko.
Slovan’s Response Falls Short
Kevin Wimmer gave Slovan hope, netting from 15 yards after mistakes by Cameron Carter-Vickers and Greg Taylor. However, Celtic quickly regained control.
Takac scrambled to save a long-range effort from Callum McGregor. But Maeda scored Celtic’s fourth goal after combining with his Japanese teammates, slicing through Slovan’s defense.
With three minutes left, Adam Idah finished the scoring with his first goal of the season, assisted by James Forrest.
Rodgers’ Reaction to Celtic’s Victory
After the match, Brendan Rodgers praised his team’s performance.
“It was a great night. You could feel the excitement from the crowd,” Rodgers said. “We played with intensity both with and without the ball. We got the early goal, but I felt we could have been more clinical.”
He added: “The second half was sensational. The mentality, hunger, and desire for more goals were fantastic. We could have scored more than five.”
Player Ratings
- Celtic: Schmeichel (7), Johnston (8), Carter-Vickers (7), Scales (8), Taylor (7), McGregor (7), Engels (9), Hatate (8), Kuhn (8), Maeda (9), Kyogo (7)
- Subs: Forrest (6), Idah (6), Bernardo (5), Ralston (n/a), Trusty (n/a)
- Player of the Match: Daizen Maeda
This impressive result gives Celtic a great start in the group, and they’ll look to build on it when they travel to Dortmund next month.
Celtic vs Slovan Bratislava – 5:1
