Larsson back in business

Celtic 8 FK Suduva 1

Stilian Petrov, Chris Sutton, Paul Lambert, John Hartson and Joos Valgaeren also hit the net as the agony of missing out on a place in the money-spinning Champions League group stages for the second successive year was finally forgotten.

Larsson hit the back of the net after 15 minutes, then scored his and Celtic’s second goal in the 23rd minute.

Petrov produced a stunning right-foot volley that hit the back of the net in the 27th minute.

Moments later, Larsson watched his delicate chip sail just over the crossbar, but he was celebrating his hat-trick on the half-hour.

Sutton again turned provider and played him through on goal and he coolly drew the goalkeeper before chipping the ball over him.

The Swede repaid the favour, nine minutes before the break, when he dummied Guppy’s centre for the former Chelsea and Blackburn hitman to convert from close range.

O’Neill’s men were gifted a sixth goal just four minutes after the restart after a blunder by goalkeeper Padihanskas.

In the 72nd minute, Hartson was on the scoresheet again for the third successive game to give manager Martin O’Neill more proof that he should be in the starting line up regularly.

Joos Valgaeren got in on the act with eight minutes remaining when he headed home a Hartson cross from close range.

CELTA VIGO: Pinto, Berizzo, Caceres, Velasco, Lopez, Jesuli, Luccin, Mostovoi, Vagner, Catanha, Juanfran.

ODENSE BK: Zaza, Derveld, Michael Hemmingsen, Siim, Sonksen, Tomas Jorgensen, Moller Pedersen, Berg, Miti, Sangild, Tembo.

Blackburn 1

CSKA Sofia 1

Blackburn were held to a 1-1 draw in the UEFA Cup first round first leg by a polished CSKA Sofia side at Ewood Park.

Corrado Grabbi hit an equaliser after CSKA Sofia had taken a shock lead through Velizar Dimitrov.

After 22 minutes, CSKA’s hit-them-on-the-break tactics paid off when they took the lead. Dimitrov picked up possession from Yanchev wide on the left, sped past Lucas Neill as if the defender’s feet were tied

together and tucked a hard, low drive inside the far post.

However, the lead lasted less than five minutes as Grabbi capitalised on woeful defending. Ivanov Galin intercepted Nils-Eric Johansson’s cross but made a hash of the clearance, and Grabbi slotted his shot in off the post. BLACKBURN: Friedel, Neill, Taylor, Todd,

Johansson, Hignett, Tugay, Danns, Dunn, Grabbi, Yorke.

CSKA Sofia: Petrov, Georgiev, Gueye, Galin Ivanov, Tomovski, Stefanov, Yanchev, Varbanov, Brito, Mukasi, Dimitrov.

Hajduk Split 0

Fulham 1

Steed Malbranque was the hero as he fired Fulham to a 1-0 victory against Croatia’s Hajduk Split last night in the Cottagers’ first major European match.

The French midfielder came up with the crucial away goal in this UEFA Cup first-round first-leg tie five minutes after the interval, rifling into the bottom corner.