Celtic have moved through to the third qualifying round of the Champions League after a comfortable 4-0 win over KR Reykjavik.
Defender Virgil van Dijk headed home twice in the space of seven minutes to give Celtic plenty of breathing space before the tie was ended as a contest when Teemu Pukki added a third.
The Bhoys continued their dominance in the second half, and although a second from Pukki was the only goal to trouble the score sheet, boss Ronny Deila will be delighted with the manner in which his side dispatched the Icelandic outfit.
Read below to see how the action unfolded at Murrayfield.
Hello, and welcome to Sports Mole's live coverage of the match between Celtic and KR Reykjavik in the Champions League second qualifying round.
After dominating the Scottish Premiership last season, it doesn't seem right that Celtic are having to compete in the Champions League qualifiers as early as July, but that's exactly what they are doing. The Hoops will have to progress through three rounds if they are to reach the group stages, but on the positive side, they have taken a big step to making it through to the third qualifying round after winning 1-0 last week.
The two teams have been named for this evening's match at Murrayfield. Full details coming right up.
CELTIC XI: Forster; Lustig, Ambrose, van Dijk, Izaguirre; Johansen, Mulgrew; Griffiths, Commons, McGregor; Pukki
CELTIC SUBSTITUTES: Zaluska, Matthews, Bitton, Boerrigter, Watt, Kayal, Henderson
KR REYKJAVIK XI: Magnusson, Haukur Hauksson, Josepsson, Gretar Sigurdsson, Gunnar Thor Gunnarsson, Finnbogason, Saevarsson, Baldur Sigurdsson, Atlason, Lorenzo, Martin
KR REYKJAVIK SUBSTITUTES: Jensson, Egil Jonsson, Ragnarsson, Ormarsson, Gudmundur Gunnarsson, Hroar Sigurdsson, Bjorn Jonsson.
Celtic boss Ronny Deila has made just one alteration to the team that won in Iceland last week. Anthony Stokes, who has been struggling with an injury, has been replaced by Teemu Pukki in attack.
As you can see from the KR starting lineup, their team is mainly made up of players who were born in Iceland but they do have one Englishman in their side. 23-year-old striker Gary Martin began his career with Middlesbrough, but after departing the Riverside Stadium in 2010, the Darlington-born player has made a name for himself at KR, and before that, IK Akranes.
Despite the game being switch to Murrayfield, there appears to be a decent crowd inside the stadium. The two teams should be making their way out onto the pitch any moment now.
KR Reykjavik get us underway in the first half.
It's been a controlled start from the hosts, who have dominated possession in the middle of the park. Celtic did earn a free kick out on the left, but it was well defended by the Reykjavik backline.
CHANCE! Celtic should be ahead. Teemu Pukki was sent clear on goal, but despite advancing into the penalty area, he fired his shot straight at Stefan Magnusson.
It's a decent response from the visitors, who enjoy some time on the ball before Jonas Saversson clears the crossbar from 20 yards.
Celtic recorded 27 attempts last week and you get the feeling that it could be a similar total this evening. They aren't exactly firing shots on goal at will, but they look to have far too much quality in the final third not to net a few goals tonight.
GOAL! Celtic 1-0 KR Reykjavik (Van Dijk)
It's almost as if I knew that was going to happen. I promise I didn't. A corner was floated to the back post for Charlie Mulgrew to head back across goal where Virgil van Dijk was waiting to nod into the net from six yards. The Icelandic side are up against it now.
That goal also means that he can't have extra time this evening. For someone who seemed to have that constantly throughout the World Cup, that's come as a minor relief!
GOAL! Celtic 2-0 KR Reykjavik (Van Dijk)
We are just 20 minutes into this contest, but that could be the tie done and dusted. It's a second goal for Celtic, and it's another from a corner. Mikael Lustig headed the ball back towards goal and Virgil van Dijk was there to glance home into the bottom corner at the back post.
CHANCE! This is turning into an exhibition match for Celtic. The ball was played to Teemu Pukki on the halfway line, but after he had held off the attentions of a defender on the way to surging towards goal, Stefan Magnusson pulled off a terrific save to tip the ball wide from 16 yards.
GOAL! Celtic 3-0 KR Reykjavik (Pukki)
This is making my fears of extra time look a little bit silly, isn't it? Celtic are powering towards the next round now, and Pukki has deservedly got his name on the score sheet. Callum McGregor got to the left byline before crossing for the Fin, who made no mistake in lashing the ball home from six yards.
I think it's safe enough to say that it will be Celtic who will be playing either Legia Warsaw or St Patrick's Athletic in the next round. On this form, the Scottish outfit will fancy their chances against either opposition.
The action has quietened down a little, but it's still all Celtic. Kris Commons is the next man to try to beat Stefan Magnusson, but his long-range effort is well kept out by the Icelandic stopper.
Not a bad turnout considering the Celtic fans have had to travel in their numbers from Glasgow to Edinburgh.
A cracking crowd in the capital to back the Bhoys & they've been well entertained so far, with the Hoops leading 3-0. pic.twitter.com/qWKa7AwVYH
— Celtic Football Club (@celticfc) July 22, 2014
CHANCES! Celtic could very easily be on their way to double figures here. After Charlie Mulgrew had missed the target from 25 yards, Teemu Pukki, once again, despite his sharpness by cutting inside the defender before curling the ball inches wide of the far post.
Charlie Mulgrew tries his luck from distance once more, but although he is closer with this effort, he still misses the target. The visitors could do with the break. It won't make any difference to the result, but they will at least have the chance to regroup.
HALF TIME: Celtic 3-0 KR Reykjavik
The half-time whistle goes at Murrayfield and Celtic have one foot and four toes in the next qualifying round of the Champions League. The opposition isn't the best, but they have looked sharp against a team who has already started their domestic campaign. The future looks bright under Ronny Deila.
I haven't got the exact half-time statistics for you, but Celtic are well into double figures on the shot count, while they must have had almost three quarters of possession. It's been a stroll in the park, and Deila can take the opportunity to rest players or tinker with his style of play during the second 45 minutes.
Celtic won't find out their next opponents until tomorrow evening. The tie between Legia Warsaw and St Patrick's Athletic is in the balance, too, after the Irish champions returned from Poland with an impressive 1-1 draw. Fingers crossed that they can complete the job at the Tallaght Stadium tomorrow evening.
Celtic get us back underway.
What do we have here? KR Reykjavik are soon pressing forward and manage to earn a corner, but it's the briefest of scares for Celtic, who clear through Charlie Mulgrew.
Normal service is quickly resumed as Celtic make inroads into the final third through Leigh Griffiths, who has been quiet tonight, but his driven cross is well palmed away by Stefan Magnusson.
More good work from Griffiths sees him play a one-two before striking the ball into the side-netting. This is much better from the 23-year-old, who has netted seven times in 15 appearances since signing from Wolverhampton Wanderers in January.
There has surely got to be more goals, right? It's attack after attack for Celtic, but after the ball fell to Kris Commons on this occasion, he could only force a decent stop out of Stefan Magnusson, who is performing superbly to keep the score to 3-0.
SUBSTITUTIONS! Here come the substitutions, and it's a double change for Celtic. Emilio Izaguirre and Leigh Griffiths are done for the night, with Adam Matthews and Beram Kayal coming on in their place.
Kris Commons is determined to get his name on the score sheet, but for now, he is still being denied by Stefan Magnusson, who manages to tip his shot wide of the target.
Reykjavik are continuing to defend with plenty of commitment and they are being rewarded for their dogged second-half showing. Teemu Pukki looks like playing in Kris Commons for number four, but it takes a last-ditch tackle to prevent the ball from reaching the midfielder.
GOAL! Celtic 4-0 KR Reykjavik (Pukki)
Well, they were being rewarded for their second-half performance. Celtic have number four, and it's Teemu Pukki who gets on the score sheet for the second time tonight. After beating Stefan Magnusson to the ball, he got the better of a KR defender before finding the back of the net from an acute angle.
SUBSTITUTION! That goal turns out to be Pukki's last act of the evening and he is replaced by Liam Henderson. Judging by this performance, the Finn has put himself to the front of the attacking queue at Celtic Park.
We've just under 10 minutes remaining at Murrayfield. It's just a matter of whether Celtic can add to their tally for the night. The tempo of the match has slowed a touch, but it would only take one break-away from the hosts to cap off a fine display.
Kris Commons is here, there and everywhere. Five minutes after trying to chip the goalkeeper from 40 yards, he popped up in the penalty area before sending an acrobatic effort high over the crossbar.
WOODWORK! And again! Mikael Lustig found Commons with a neat pass, but the former Derby County midfielder could only fire against the inside of the post. His team may be cantering to victory, but it's been one of those nights for the 30-year-old.
Celtic are still pressing forward as the match enters its final moments, but Charlie Mulgrew is unable to power the ball past Stefan Magnusson when in an inviting position. There will be three minutes of added-on time.
FULL TIME: Celtic 4-0 KR Reykjavik
The referee finally puts KR Reykjavik out of their misery and Celtic have sealed their place in the next round with a resounding 4-0 win at Murrayfield. Ever since Virgil van Dijk headed Celtic in front early on, the result was never in doubt and the Bhoys will be confident of progressing past either Legia Warsaw or St Patrick's Athletic.
That will be all from Sports Mole for this match. Thank you for joining us and we hope that you join us again as the Champions League qualifiers continue over the next six weeks. Goodbye for now.
Written by
Darren Plant
Darren Plant
