Celtic 4-0 KR Reykjavik (Agg 5-0): Hoops cruise into third qualifying round

adamhigginsuk
Jul 22, 2014
3 min read

Breakthrough: Dutch centre-back Virgil van Dijk opens the scoring for Celtic with a close-range finish (Picture from Sky Sports)

CELTIC cruised into the Champions League third qualifying round after completing a comfortable aggregate win over KR Reykjavik.

Virgil van Dijk and Teemu Pukki both scored twice for the Hoops, who held a 1-0 lead from last week's first leg in Iceland.

Kris Commons went close on several occasions at Murrayfield - the home of Scottish rugby in Edinburgh which hosted the tie as Celtic Park stages the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony.

The Scottish champions will now face Legia Warsaw or St Patrick's Athletic - with the two sides facing off in Dublin tomorrow - in the next round.

Ronny Deila hoped for a better performance from his side and the new Celtic manager got his wish as they took a step closer towards the group stages for a third successive season.

The Norwegian was without injured trio Anthony Stokes, captain Scott Brown and James Forrest but could call upon Commons, who overcame the thigh knock sustained in Saturday's pre-season friendly draw with Dynamo Dresden.

Callum McGregor kept his place after netting the winner on his first competitive start in the first leg while the much-maligned Pukki earned a start in attack.

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Murrayfield became Celtic's fourth different home ground for a European tie after Celtic Park, Hampden Park and Old Trafford.

Celtic's only previous home game against Icelandic opponents was a 7-0 victory over Valur in 1975.

The Icelandic top-flight winners were presented with the first chance inside 60 seconds when English striker Gary Martin, released four years ago by Middlesbrough, hit the post with a deflected effort but Celtic were reprieved by the linesman's flag.

Soon after, the Hoops had a good opportunity of their own as Pukki beat the offside trap to race in behind and was denied by keeper Stefan Magnusson, who also blocked the follow-up from Leigh Griffiths.

Their intentions to wrap up the tie convincingly became clear and their relentless pressure told after just 12 minutes.

Commons floated a corner over Magnusson to the back post and stand-in skipper Charlie Mulgrew headed across the face of goal for van Dijk to stab home from two yards out.

KR sought an immediate response but former Celtic youth player Kjartan Finnbogasson headed over before midfielder Jonas Saversson fired into the side netting from an acute angle.

And Celtic doubled their lead when a culpable Magnusson missed his punch and van Dijk was on hand again to take advantage, finishing off Mikael Lustig's headed lay-off.

Two became three seven minutes later when Emilio Izaguirre fed the lively McGregor, who galloped down the left to the byline before his cutback was slotted home by Pukki.

The Finnish international - often marginalised by previous boss Neil Lennon last season - went close again when collecting Stefan Johansen's pass and lashing wide of the post after outstripping the KR defence.

The Hoops remained in firm control after the break as Commons - included on the shortlist for Uefa's Best Player in Europe award this week - stung the palms of Magnusson on two occasions with fierce long-range shots.

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Part-timers KR Reykjavik - the 26-time Icelandic Urvalsdeild winners - are 12 matches into their domestic season which runs between May and October.

KR have now lost on all three of their visits to Scotland after a 10-0 defeat to Aberdeen in 1967 and 2-0 reverse by Kilmarnock in 1999.

But Pukki hit the jackpot again to make it 4-0, pouncing on a slip from the stranded Magnusson once he raced out of his area and rifled home emphatically.

The former Schalke striker received a warm ovation on his departure to the bench as young midfielder Liam Henderson entered the fray.

Commons was determined to score his first competitive goal of the campaign in the latter stages as Celtic continued to press.

But last season's top scorer and Player of the Year sent an acrobatic volley over the crossbar before rattling the post in stoppage time.

Fraser Forster - the subject of a failed bid from Southampton earlier in the day - was never called upon on a routine evening for the Scottish champions, who await much tougher tests in their quest for European glory.