Manager Ronny Deila admits his side will need to improve if they are to continue their Champions League quest after Celtic overcame part-time Icelandic side Stjarnan eventually with ease in their second qualifier.
Celtic travelled to the tiny Samsungvollur stadium with a 2-0 advantage from last week’s first leg in Glasgow but found themselves under some unexpected pressure after only six minutes when Olafur Karl Finsen shot the home side into a shock lead.
However, midfielder Nir Bitton calmed the nerves when he levelled in the 32nd minute from a Stefan Johansen corner and further goals from defender Charlie Mulgrew, substitute Leigh Griffiths and Johansen made it 4-1 to see the Scottish champions through 6-1 on aggregate.
Deila’s side will play Qarabag in the third qualifier, with the first game at Celtic Park next week, and will sure to be tested to a greater degree against the Azerbaijan outfit who came through their tie against Montenegro’s Rudar Pljevlja.
The Norwegian coach said: “We need to improve.
“They are a good team. I saw them play the first leg at home against the team from Montenegro and it is a big step up from what we have met here.
“I think we were a bit sloppy at the start of the game but we got the goal and we knew things were happening.
“In the second half there was only one team on the pitch and we won quite easily.
“We didn’t want to concede an early goal but it happens sometimes. We came back and 4-1 is a positive result and I am looking forward to the next round.”
Deila was critical of the artificial pitch which he claimed was not watered due to a broken pipe.
He said: “It is not a problem to play on an artificial pitch but when you don’t water the pitch it is totally different, everything is very sticky and everything goes much slower than usual.
“I always ask to water the pitch but it (water pipe) was broken this time – maybe it is ready again now.
“But that is how it is, we have to handle every circumstance and surface you play on and we made it, we are through to the next round.”
Stjarnan coach Runar Pall Sigmundsson claimed to sense some concern in the Celtic camp after his side took the lead.
He said: “Of course, they didn’t create any chances in the first-half, just corners and free-kicks and I was very happy about that.
“We played very well in the first half, especially. It wasn’t good defensively at the start of the second-half from us but the performance was very good and I am very proud of the guys.
“After they scored the second goal they took over and created good chances but overall I was very happy with the performance of our team.”
Bitton admitted that he was worried when Stjarnan opened the scoring.
He said: “I think everybody was worried.
“We didn’t want to start the game like that and concede a goal after six minutes, it wasn’t the game plan but sometimes you need to deal with this kind of thing.
“The most important thing is that we go through to the next round and we just want to continue.
“I am really happy, not because of my goal but because we won the game. My goal was a bonus.”
Other results of note on Wednesday included 1986 European Cup winners Steaua Bucharest avoiding a shock from Slovakian side Trencin, Hungary’s Videoton edging Welsh champions The New Saints after extra time and Kazakhstan’s FC Astana overcoming a 1-0 first leg deficit to oust Slovenian champions Maribor.
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