BRENDAN Rodgers last night urged caution despite Celtic taking a three goal advantage in their Champions League play-off against Hapoel Be'er Sheva with a stunning 5-2 victory in the first leg at Parkhead.
The Scottish champions had led 3-0 at half-time courtesy of a Tom Rogic strike and a Leigh Griffiths double and it looked as if they were on the brink of qualification for the group stages of Europe's premier club competition for the first time in three years.
However, the Glasgow club conceded two goals in a three minute spell in the second half before late strikes from substitute Moussa Dembele and captain Scott Brown secured a thrilling triumph.
There was a downside to the evening as Celtic are now facing a ninth UEFA punishment in five years after their supporters held up Palestinian flags during the meeting with their Israeli counterparts.
Read more: Advantage Celtic in Champions League bid after rousing Hapoel play-off triumph
The waving of the flags – dozens of which were held up by Celtic supporters around the packed stand - blatantly flouted UEFA rules which forbid political statements and also ignored advice from Police Scotland.
The Scottish champions now face the prospect of being fined for the actions of their supporters – who have cost them £107,150 in financial penalties for their behaviour in continental tournaments – or even having a stand closed in the future
But former Swansea City and Liverpool manager Rodgers was delighted with how his team had performed and how they restored their three goal lead during a rollercoaster second half. The Irishman has, though, conceded the tie is far from over.
"It is a brilliant result for us," he said. "We would obviously prefer 3-0, but 5-2 really shows the level the team played at. I thought over the course of the game we were excellent.
"To be pegged back to 3-2 and go on and win the game 5-2 really shows that mental strength of the players as well as the quality. We are nowhere near the finished article in terms of where I want them to be. But we have a really exciting team with quality and character."
Rodgers added: “I respect their manager, he’s a good guy and coaches his team very well. We’re not getting carried away. We still have a massive job to do over there. But I think we showed tonight that when the space is reduced we can score goals.
Read more: Celtic vs Hapoel Be'er-Sheva - how they rated
“If they come and attack us there is going to be more space for us to play on the counter. We have a three goal advantage, but for us the mentality is that it’s 0-0 and we have to get the job done next week.”
Rodgers thanked the Celtic supporters, over 50,000 of who turned up to cheer their team on, for staying patient with his side when they conceded two goals in the second half.
“I’ve got to say a massive thank-you to them," he said. “When it went to 3-2 before I’m sure it could have been a real, real edgy game for us. But they stayed calm.
"They really roared the team on and understood that we were trying to play our way back into the game. I really thought they were absolutely incredible. The support tonight really, really helped the players so I say a big thank-you to them.”
Having lost their lead in a manner eerily reminiscent of last year's aggregate defeat at this stage to Swedish champions Malmo, Griffiths said he felt the Parkhead side would have crumbled in such circumstances 12 months back.
He gave manager Rodgers the credit for instilling greater self belief amongst the squad. “We’re three up at half time and we couldn’t have dreamt of a better start," said the striker. “Then for 10, 15 minutes we were very sloppy and gave away two goals. I was fearing a repeat of Malmo.
“If we were put in this position last year at 3-2 then we would have crumbled. Most of the boys who were here would tell you that but the manager has a great determination and he wants us to keep going for 90 minutes and that is why we got extra chances. We showed great character and resilience to respond with two more goals and we got the result in the end."
Instead the Parkhead side travel to the Turner Stadium in Be'er Sheva next week with their three-goal cushion restored. While Griffiths insists the tie isn't done yet he and the club's new strike force fancy their chances of scoring the goals in Israel which would put the tie to bed and return Celtic to the Champions League for the first time in three seasons.
“If you’d said to us before the game we’d take a three goal lead to Israel then we would’ve snapped your hand off," said Griffiths. "We feel we’re very close to the group stages now. But it’s going to take another hard 90 minutes for us to get through. They’ll throw everything at us. We need to show great character, determination and resilience to get through. But we are great on the counter and if we keep it tight we have players up front who can hurt them. Hopefully next Wednesday we’re on the plane coming home making that group stage."
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