Camilo Duran steps up to the mark to aid Celtic victory over LASK

Celtic's Camilo Duran celebrates. Pic: Andrew Milligan/PA Wire.

A stunning double from summer signing Camilo Duran helped Celtic open up a commanding lead against LASK in the Champions League play-off.

Benjamin Nygren also produced a superb finish to send Martin O’Neill’s side on their way to a 3-0 first-leg win over their Austrian opponents in Glasgow.

The visitors had two goals disallowed for offside and created chances throughout in an open encounter but Celtic were clinical as they continued their strong start to the season.

Nygren has been at the heart of it with four goals and four assists in as many games and he opened the scoring in the 26th minute. The Swede readjusted his body to volley into the top corner from 20 yards after a weak clearance from Kieran Tierney’s cross.

Duran scored a near identical goal eight minutes later, firing into the same top corner from the same spot after Tierney’s cross was headed out. The only major difference was the Colombian struck his volley first time.

The former Qarabag forward netted his third Celtic goal midway through the second half, exchanging passes with Nygren after a flick from another summer signing, Kasper Hogh, and stroking the ball into the top corner from inside the box.

The victory puts Celtic firmly in the driving seat ahead of the second leg in Linz next Tuesday and eased nerves among home fans after more transfer tribulations.

Celtic went out at this stage last year after drawing a blank against Kairat Almaty after failing to sign a proven striker. The arrival of Duran and Kasper Hogh solved that problem but other signings were slow to come and German midfielder Mika Baur was handed a start in his Celtic Park debut.

The 22-year-old’s inclusion was necessitated by the departure of Arne Engels to West Ham at the weekend, which caused more anxiety among Celtic fans who have seen their team fail in their last five Champions League qualifying campaigns.

The play-off defeat against the Kazakhstan side followed losses in earlier rounds against AEK Athens, Cluj, Ferencvaros and Midtjylland in recent seasons.

The Celtic fans were in full voice in the build-up but there were early worries. Moses Usor sent a brilliant volley into the top corner inside 30 seconds but was flagged offside, before Samuel Adeniran scuffed a shot wide when clean through.

The LASK forward soon forced a save from Viljami Sinisalo with Celtic looking very open in central midfield without Engels, but Duran threatened twice from half-chances before Nygren opened the scoring.

LASK had a headed goal chalked off for offside before Duran struck his first and Sinisalo made another couple of saves before the break.

Celtic captain Callum McGregor fired a deflected 20-yard shot off the inside of the post as chances kept coming in the second half, and Usor squandered two excellent opportunities.

Reo Hatate came on to huge acclaim in what could be one of his final Celtic Park appearances before Duran came close twice from long range ahead of his second goal of the night.

The goal hero got another massive cheer for sprinting back to his own bye-line to make a challenge and Sinisalo continued to look assured as Celtic maintained their clean sheet.