Camilo Duran exploded onto the European stage, bagging two absolute stunners as Celtic took down LASK 3-0 in their Champions League play-off first leg. It was a performance so dominant, manager Martin O’Neill couldn’t help but call it “world-class.” This 24-year-old Colombian forward, signed for a cool £5.5m in July, showed everyone exactly why he was brought in, stepping up big time after Celtic’s weekend sale of Arne Engels to West Ham for a record £22m. Talk about immediate impact, right?
Duran’s Double Dazzles as Celtic Finds its Firepower
You gotta see these goals. Duran slammed a volley into the top corner, doubling Celtic’s lead on the night, and if that wasn’t enough, he added a crucial third with another unstoppable shot after a truly wonderful team move. Benjamin Nygren actually opened the scoring with a superb volley himself, but the spotlight, no doubt, belonged to Duran. This dude isn’t new to lighting up the Champions League, either; he netted five goals for Qarabag last season! O’Neill, who watched this talent for a while, wasn’t holding back, telling TNT Sports, “He’s a brilliant player… He’s just magnificent. I said to him, I’m not saying he’s a world-class player, but that was a world-class performance, in every sense. Not only the goals he scored and taking people on, but getting back.” That’s the kind of praise you love to hear for a new signing.
But Don’t Get Too Comfy: The Road Ahead is Still Tough
Even with a commanding three-goal lead heading into Tuesday’s second leg against the Austrian champs in Linz, O’Neill is keeping everyone grounded. And for good reason: LASK created plenty of chances, even having the ball in the net twice in the first half only to be denied by super tight offside calls. They are a threat. Celtic fans know the pain; they crashed out to Kairat Almaty in these play-offs last year and have lost their last five qualifying attempts to teams like AEK Athens and Cluj. But man, the arrival of Duran, alongside record signing Kasper Hogh, has totally changed the vibe around the club this summer. O’Neill, who led the Hoops to a league and cup double last season, still sees the challenge. He called it a “really tough evening for us,” even after the 3-0 win, admitting LASK is “a very fine, talented team.” He summed it up: “Last season, for most of the season, you were wondering where a goal might come from. Here, we are able to conjure.”
So, while Celtic has given themselves a real chance, O’Neill isn’t letting anyone get ahead of themselves. The second leg in Linz is going to be another battle, and for Celtic, being “capable of scoring” on the road will be absolutely key to locking down that Champions League spot.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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