Celtic 3–0 LASK: Duran's Double Puts Hoops Close to Champions League
Celtic have one hand on a place in the new-look Champions League league phase after dismantling LASK 3–0 on a sharp, decisive European night at Celtic Park – but Martin O’Neill is in no mood to believe the job is done.
The scoreline says comfortable. The opening minute said anything but.
Early scare, ruthless response
LASK thought they had stunned the stadium inside 60 seconds, wheeling away in celebration after finding the net almost straight from kick-off. The flag and a quick intervention cut that joy short, the goal ruled out for offside, but the warning landed hard.
They came flying out. Celtic, by O’Neill’s own admission, needed 10 to 15 minutes just to find their feet and shake off the shock of that early scare.
Once they did, the tie changed.
Benjamin Nygren struck first, and he did it in style. Picking up the ball outside the box, he opened his body and whipped a brilliant effort beyond the goalkeeper, a clean, confident finish that settled Celtic and ignited the crowd. From a jittery start, O’Neill’s side suddenly had control and a precious lead.
The pressure grew. So did the quality.
Duran steals the show
If Nygren lit the fuse, Camilo Duran stole the night.
Just before half-time, as LASK tried to reach the interval only one down, Duran produced the moment that will live longest in the memory. A dropping ball, a split second to decide, and he chose the spectacular – a stunning volley that ripped past the keeper and sent Celtic Park into full roar.
Chris Sutton, watching on duty, was among those left purring over the technique and nerve. It was the kind of strike that changes not just a match, but the mood of a whole campaign.
Celtic walked down the tunnel 2–0 up, transformed from the side that had been rocked in the opening minute. LASK’s threat was still there, but now they were chasing shadows.
After the break, Duran finished the job.
Celtic kept their foot on the pedal, and when the chance came, the forward was ruthless again, adding his second of the evening to make it 3–0 and put a commanding sheen on the scoreline. The third goal didn’t just punish LASK; it underlined the gulf in composure and cutting edge on the night.
O’Neill’s warning shot
From the stands, it looked like a near-perfect European performance: three goals, a clean sheet, and a cushion that would satisfy any manager heading into a second leg away from home.
O’Neill refused to indulge in that comfort.
“I thought it was a really tough evening for us. Yeah. Really tough evening,” he told TNT Sports. “We won 3–0, and they’re a really good side.”
He had warned his players beforehand about LASK’s pace and quality up front, and the opening-minute scare only reinforced his point.
“They’ve got plenty of pace up front as well too, and they’re a very, very, very fine, talented team,” he said. “And we still have our work cut out, but we’ve given ourselves a chance, let me put it that way.”
That last line tells you everything about his mindset. No talk of the tie being over. No sense of Celtic already through. Just a recognition that a strong first leg has created an opportunity – nothing more.
Ninety minutes from the big stage
The equation is simple now. Celtic travel to Austria with a three-goal lead and the knowledge that they are potentially 90 minutes away from the Champions League proper.
They have seen enough of LASK to know the second leg will not be a procession. The Austrian side carried a threat at Celtic Park, especially in those frantic early moments, and will surely be more aggressive on home turf.
But O’Neill’s players have given themselves room to breathe, and, crucially, room for error. A tie that could have turned sour inside the first minute now looks firmly in their grasp.
One more disciplined performance away from home, and Celtic’s European season moves onto the biggest stage of all.
