Celtic Crushes Slovan Bratislava 5-1: Engels Shines as Rodgers' Squad Demonstrates Overwhelming Start
Celtic FC Secures Impressive 5-1 Victory in Champions League Opener
In a thrilling performance at Celtic Park, Brendan Rodgers' side dominated Slovan Bratislava to secure a commanding 5-1 victory in their 2025-26 UEFA Champions League opener.
The match began with a promising start for Celtic, as Liam Scales opened the scoring, assisted by Arne Engels. The young defender's goal set the tone for an action-packed encounter.
Just before the penalty, Kyogo Furuhashi doubled Celtic's advantage, capitalising on a well-crafted move involving several players. The goal seemed to rattle Slovan Bratislava, as Alistair Johnson was pulled by Danylo Ignatenko, leading to a penalty for Celtic. Arne Engels stepped up to the spot and converted, restoring Celtic's two-goal lead.
Daizen Maeda then extended Celtic's lead further, linking up with Reo Hatate to score a crucial goal. The Japanese duo's combination play was a highlight of the match, showcasing their potential and chemistry.
In the second half, Kevin Wimmer scored for Slovan Bratislava, reducing the deficit to 3-1, but Celtic responded swiftly. Adam Idah scored the final goal for Celtic, completing a comprehensive 5-1 victory. James Forrest provided the assist for Idah's goal, rounding off a memorable night for Celtic fans.
This victory marks the second time Celtic have scored four or more goals in a single Champions League match, having previously achieved this in a 4-3 victory over Juventus in October 2001. Moreover, this is the first time Celtic have had five different scorers in a European Cup/Champions League match (excluding own goals) since September 1973 against TPS Turku.
Arne Engels achieved a rare feat in this match, becoming only the second player to both score and assist a goal on his Champions League debut for Celtic, emulating Henrik Larsson's performance against Juventus in September 2001. This young defender is certainly one to watch in the future.
Overall, Celtic's dominance in this match was evident, as they accumulated an impressive expected goals (xG) tally of 3.22 compared to Slovan Bratislava's 0.30. This victory is a promising start to Celtic's Champions League campaign and a testament to the team's attacking prowess.
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