Record signing Kasper Hogh silenced his early critics with a first-half hat-trick as Celtic swept Kilmarnock aside on the new grass pitch at Rugby Park.
Manager Martin O’Neill was absent from the dugout as he recovers from surgery, but it did not hinder the Hoops as Hogh nodded into an empty net after just 64 seconds.
Killie have switched from plastic to grass, but any hopes Neil McCann had of it favouring his side faded with the Danish striker fired in his second after Benjamin Nygren had hit the crossbar.
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Hogh runs rampant with first-half hat-trick for Celtic.
The £11m signing then headed home his third with Max Stryjek only able to watch. It then went from bad to worse for the Kilmarnock keeper when he played the ball straight out to Nygren to fire in a fourth just after the break.
Michael Schjonning-Larsen managed to pull a goal back, but Luke McCowan then volleyed in Celtic’s fifth just moments after coming on to wrap up an impressive afternoon in Ayrshire.
The champions’ title defence starts with back-to-back wins, while Kilmarnock have conceded nine goals in their opening two games.
More to follow…
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Kasper Hogh scored his first Celtic goal inside the opening two minutes of Celtic’s away match at Kilmarnock.
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Hogh scores his second of the game for Celtic against Kilmarnock.
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Kilmarnock keeper gifts Celtic their fourth.
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Schjonning-Larsen pulls one back for Kilmarnock against Celtic.
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McCowan makes it FIVE moments after coming on as a substitute
The key moments from Rugby Park
2: GOAL! Hogh is off the mark. Celtic’s record signing meets Engels’ cross at the back post and nods into the net.
5: CLOSE! Almost an equaliser! John-Jules’ shot from inside the box is blocked by Trusty.
12: SAVE! John-Jules directs his header towards goal but Sinisalo tips it over.
18: OFF THE BAR! Engels cuts the ball back to Nygren in the box but he smashes it off the woodwork.
33: GOAL! Two for Hogh. Kilmarnock fail to deal with the danger and he fires beyond Stryjek.
35: GOAL! Make that a first-half hat-trick. Duran’s cross takes out Stryjek, leaving Hogh to nod into the empty net.
47: GOAL! Howler from the Kilmarnock keeper! Stryjek inexplicably passes the ball straight out to Nygren an he makes no mistake.
49: OFF THE BAR! Duran wants in on the action, but the summer signing hits the woodwork.
56: GOAL! The hosts pull one back as Schjonning-Larsen finds the bottom corner.
71: OFF THE POST! Hogh heads off the upright.
75: GOAL! McCowan volleys into the net moments after coming off the bench.
What the result means and next fixtures…
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