Durán double puts Celtic in control of Champions League play-off
What Happened
Camilo Durán scored twice as Celtic beat LASK 3-0 in the first leg of their Champions League play-off in Glasgow. Benjamin Nygren added the opening goal, and Martin O’Neill’s team took a strong lead into next Tuesday’s return in Linz.
Tactical Key
Celtic were sharp in attack but exposed in central midfield at times, especially early on after Arne Engels’s departure. The win owed much to efficient finishing from Nygren and Durán, plus good deliveries from Kieran Tierney, while LASK wasted enough chances to keep the tie from feeling dead after one leg.
Counterpoints
O’Neill’s praise for Durán was backed by the striker’s goals and defensive work, but the manager also flagged injury as the main condition on which that promise depends.
LASK created several openings and had two goals ruled out for offside, so the scoreline did not reflect a completely one-sided match.