CELTIC 3 LIVINGSTON 0
IT WAS a case of Swede dreams for Benjamin Nygren who displayed his striking qualities against Livingston – at the double.
The new Bhoy, who netted in the 2-0 win over Aberdeen at Pittodrie a fortnight ago, hit the crucial opening goal against the well-drilled, defensive-minded West Lothian club early in the second-half at Parkhead this afternoon.
And the energetic and versatile performer enjoyed it so much he staged an action replay to claim a second.
Substitute Johnny Kenny joined in when he made it 3-0 seven minutes after coming on.
The victory catapulted Celtic into their old familiar pole position with nine points, two ahead of Hearts who drew 3-3 with Motherwell at Tynecastle.
It was a patient display from the champions and Brendan Rodgers will no doubt be satisfied with the attitude, the three points and the third successive clean sheet in the Premiership.
The hosts, with Liam Scales taking over the captain’s armband with Callum McGregor on the substitutes’ bench, started at a high tempo against hard-working opponents.
Shin Yamada, in particular looked eager to make an impression as he darted around the frontline probing for an opening.
The Japanese striker had the ball in the net in the 14th minute after excellent service from Arne Engels, but the Belgian midfielder had strayed offside before whipping over a ball from the left.
Yamada tucked it away at the back post, but VAR confirmed the £11million man had gone just a little early in his run forward.
DEBUT BHOY…Shin Yamada was busy in his first start at Parkhead.
The half-hour mark came and went with the Hoops dominating possession with little penetration and Livi keeper Jerome Prior was rarely troubled.
In the 34th minute, Yamada forced the vising No.1 to get across his line and touch over a header after the frontman had risen superbly to direct a left-wing cross from compatriot Hayato Inamura towards the top left-hand corner.
Nygren was next to threaten with a rasping left-foot drive that was blocked by defender Ryan McGowan.
Yamada was alert again as he sped onto a through pass from Dane Murray, but he didn’t make a good connection with his final shot and the danger was cleared by a relieved Livi defence.
In first-half stoppage-time, Yang Hyun-jun was denied by Prior after thumping in a four-yard header from right-wing cross from Nygren.
The keeper somehow scrambled across his line to push the ball onto the crossbar and the ricochet bounced to safety. Moments earlier, Arne Engels had stumbled at the crucial moment as he was about to pull the trigger following a flowing move down the left.
MAKING A POINT…Brendan Rodgers issues instructions from the touchline.
Boss Rodgers watched on from the touchline as a team containing eight players who have joined the club during his second reign tried desperately to achieve the breakthrough goal against the Premiership newcomers.
There were no changes to the line-up as they prepared for the second-half challenges.
Two minutes after the turnaround and it was all down to a marvellous run from Nygren coming in from the right before sweeping a pass to Yang on the left.
The South Korean took off at a gallop before driving a wicked low drive that forced Prior into a full-length dive to his left to push the effort away.
Nygren had kept his run going into the box and the Swede was right in line to stroke the rebound into the inviting net from close-range.
SWEDE DREAMS…Benjamin Nygren celebrates a Celtic goal.
Yamada came close again in the 53rd minute with a first-time angled drive at the near post from Yang service, but his shot whipped just wide.
Five minutes later, Rodgers introduced McGregor, James Forrest and Daizen Maeda for Luke McCowan, Bernado and Yamada, who will enjoy better fortune at the venue in the future.
Kenny came on for Yang in the 69th minute to lead the attack with Maeda moving wide left.
Nygren doubled the advantage in the 71st minute when he walloped in an emphatic first-time drive from 12 yards after the Hoops had built a nice move on the left that saw Prior push out an inviting low cross.
The ball broke clear and the £1.7million summer recruit didn’t break stride as he blasted a drive into the roof of the net.
It was no more than he deserved for his effort and invention all day.
And Kenny claimed his first-ever competitive goal at Parkhead after some neat lead-up play from Inamura and Maeda with the latter sizzling over a left-wing cross.
The Republic of Ireland Under-21 international frontman met it perfectly smack in front of goal to divert in No.3 in the 76th minute.
Three minutes later, Coby Donovan made his first-team competitive debut when he replaced Anthony Ralston.
Now all eyes are on Kazakhstan and the £40million winner-takes-all Champions League confrontation against Karat Almaty on Tuesday after the scoreless stalemate in midweek.
TEAM: Schmeichel; Ralston (sub: Donovan 79), Murray, Scales, Inamura; Bernardo (sub: Forrest 58), Engels, McCowan (sub: McGregor 58); Nygren, Yamada (sub: Maeda 58), Yang (sub: Kenny 69).
