Celtic vs Hapoel Beer-Sheva. UEFA Champions League Qualifying Play-Offs Round.
Celtic ParkAttendance52,659.
Thursday 18 August 2016 18:41, UK
Celtic beat Hapoel Be'er Sheva 5-2 in their Champions League qualifying play-off first leg on a topsy-turvy night at Celtic Park.
Tom Rogic gave Celtic the lead in the first 10 minutes, slotting into the corner with the goalkeeper stranded after the ball broke kindly to him, before Leigh Griffiths doubled with a back-post header.
Griffiths' superb free-kick put Celtic 3-0 up on the stroke of half-time, but the visitors got back in it through Lucio Maranhao, who drove home with their first shot on target in the 56th minute for a vital away goal.
Hapoel Be'er Sheva got a second moments later through Maor Melikson, striking into the bottom corner from the edge of the area, before substitute Moussa Dembele headed in from a corner for 4-2.
Scott Brown volleyed in the fifth late on, meaning Celtic take a healthy lead to Israel for their second leg, which will be played in Beersheba on Tuesday, August 23.
Celtic had bitter memories of losing at this stage in the previous two seasons, but got off to a flying start in front of their vocal home support.
Brown forced a fine save out of David Goresh in the visitors' goal after five minutes, and Celtic were ahead just four minutes later.
As Scott Sinclair piled into a 50-50 with Goresh, the ball broke kindly to Rogic on the edge of the area for the Australian to coolly slot into the bottom corner past the defender on the line.
Celtic dominated the first half with 12 attempts on goal to the Israeli side's one, and it was 2-0 to the hosts when Griffiths headed into the bottom left corner from James Forrest's right-wing cross after Kolo Toure's fine run forward from defence.
And in first-half injury time Griffiths grabbed a sublime third for Celtic, curling a free-kick into the top right from the corner of the penalty area.
Celtic continued pushing directly after the break, but Hapoel Be'er Sheva got a vital away goal after 56 minutes with their first shot on target and only their second shot of the game.
Breaking after clearing a Celtic corner, Maranhao found the near post from inside the area with a left-footed drive, though goalkeeper Craig Gordon could have done better.
And two minutes later it was 3-2, Melikson driving home superbly into the bottom left corner from the edge of the area past Gordon.
Brendan Rodgers then brought on Dembele, and within three minutes the former Fulham man made it 4-2, nodding in Griffiths' corner ahead of goalkeeper Goresh.
Gordon then saved from point-blank range as Maharan Radi got a header towards goal, but with just a few minutes remaining Celtic had regained their three-goal lead.
After making a hash of his first effort with his left foot, the ball fell kindly to Brown on his right, and his half volley into the right corner sent Celtic Park back into raptures.
Sinclair nearly made it six late on with a fine run, saved by Goresh at the far post, and Celtic held the lead to take to Israel on Tuesday.