06.08.2021 00:26 h

Furuhashi fires Celtic past Czechs

Ange Postecoglou oversaw his first Celtic win in a 4-2 Europa League qualifier against Jablonec on Thursday with Japanese striker Kyogo Furuhashi scoring the goal of the game on his full debut.

Another summer signing Liel Abada opened the scoring early before Furuhashi's twist and deft shot gave the visitors a two-goal lead before Jablonec powered back putting two goals past new Celtic 'keeper Joe Hart.

James Forrest and Ryan Christie restored Celtic's two-goal cushion in the second half for Postecoglou's first win in four matches in charge of Celtic which put his team on course to face AZ Alkmaar in the play-offs if they can negotiate the second leg.

"We created enough chances - we scored four and could have had another four. We just didn't control the game as well as we could have," Postecoglou told BBC Scotland.

"The performance was okay. Second half we didn't really control the game the way we should have to make sure we won the game more comfortably."

The Australian coach handed Hart a debut 24 hours after the goalkeeper completed his move from Tottenham, while Furuhashi was preferred to Odsonne Edouard up front.

Celtic soon took the lead as a cross was swept home by Abada after his initial effort was blocked before Furuhashi set himself up with his first touch from a through ball and he dinked the ball over the goalkeeper.

The hosts responded inside 60 seconds as Vaclav Pilar ran past Carl Starfelt on to a lofted through ball and knocked the ball past a static Hart.

Forrest missed a more difficult chance before Celtic's defence were caught out by a ball down the left to Tomas Malinsky.

The Jablonec player chipped Hart, who got a hand to it, but the ball came off the post and hit Nir Bitton and went in.

The goal gave the hosts hope but Forrest crossed for substitute Christie to steer home a diving header in the 90th minute.