CELTIC’S rematch with FK Qarabag will require them to make a six-hour journey to the eastern edge of Europe and is sure, irrespective of how much reconnaissance has been carried out, to throw up the unexpected.

Ronny Deila’s side will certainly not travel to Azerbiajan next week anticipating their safe passage from the third qualifying round of the Champions League after toiling to overcome opponents who impressed last night.

A close-range Dedryck Boyata header – the second goal the Belgian centre-half has scored for his new club in just three competitive games – from an inswinging Kris Commons corner with eight minutes remaining secured victory at Celtic Park.

However, the Scottish champions will go into the second leg protecting the narrowest of leads. Having struggled to both break down and contain rivals who exhibited considerable ability, composure and nous, there is no guarantee they will progress to the play-off stage over in Baku.

Deila’s time in this country got off to a bitterly disappointing start last year after his side was thrashed by Legia Warsaw and then, after being handed an unexpected reprieve by UEFA, defeated by NK Maribor. The Norwegian has a huge challenge ahead of him to ensure his side avoids suffering the same fate 12 months on.

Boyata gave the home supporters in the 43,011 crowd a fright early on as he stretched to keep a ball in play in front of the home dugout. He took his time to get back to his feet. When he finally did, however, he enjoyed another highly encouraging game.

So much depends on how the £1.5m signing from Manchester City performs in the 2015/16 campaign with continued speculation about Virgil van Dijk departing in the remaining weeks of the transfer window. He has only been involved in a handful of matches, but already he looks like being a shrewd acquisition. His goal capped a fine performance and will raise his confidence.

Deila persevered with Nadir Ciftci, another of his new signings, up front despite the Turkish striker failing to take advantage of either of his starts in the previous round of this competition. The lone front man was certainly industrious and showed an admirable willingness to drop deep and drift wide to pick up possession. He was, though, unable to engineer an opening.

Visiting manager Gurban Gurbanov parked Gara Garayev in front of his back four. The diminuitive midfielder was highly effective at closing down Stefan Johansen and behind him Stuart Armstrong and starving Ciftci of decent service.

Deila had made just one change to the side which had racked up an emphatic 4-1 win in the second leg of the second qualifying round against Stjarnan in Iceland to complete a 6-1 aggregate victory seven days earlier and that was injury-enforced.

Charlie Mulgrew was ruled out with a minor knee injury and Emilio Izaguirre came in to replace him at left-back. It was an opportunity for the Honduran to remind his manager what he can offer going forward against opponents who sat back and stake a claim for future inclusion. He did not take advantage of it.

He was booked by referee Robert Schorgenhofer for a rash challenge on Dani Quinatana in 36 minutes. It was virtually his only contribution to what was a hugely disappointing first-half display by his side.

His captain, though, hardly led by example. Scott Brown was strangely out of sorts – something which the visitors, who harried him all evening, could take much of the credit for – and passed the ball out of the park on no fewer than three occasions in the opening 45 minutes.

Qarabag showed they were not to be taken lightly in the 15th minute when Alharbi El Jadeyaoui made a powerful surge upfield before feeding Javid Tagiyev. His team-mate was dispossessed by Nir Bitton as he steadied himself to try his luck from the edge of the Celtic penalty box.

Quintana, El Jadeyaoui and Tagiyev all made meals of the fouls they suffered in blatant attempts to waste time in an encounter which needed, but did not get, a strong official to clamp down on such play-acting.

Celtic came out for the second half with renewed purpose and Ciftci had two outstanding opportunities to level in the space of seven minutes. However, he headed an Izaguirre cross wide and then volleyed straight at goalkeeper Ibrahim Sehic after the ball was unexpectedly deflected into his path.

Sehic did superbly to keep out a van Dijk attempt shortly afterwards.The Dutch defender rose well to get on the end of a Johansen free-kick from the left wing and glanced a header at the top-right corner. A one-handed denied him.

The Celtic supporters were desperate for a goal and started chanting for Leigh Griffiths. They soon got their wish. The prolific marksman came on for Bitton. Armstrong also made way for James Forrest while Kris Commons replaced Ciftci.

Celtic edged in front from an unlikely source to win the game. It was deserved given the chances they had created. The positive changes their manager made in the second half paid off for him. Whether they can prevail in the tie and progress is far from certain.

It may require a change in tactics. Commons, who set up the goal with the first touch of the ball, made a huge difference when he took to the field and Griffiths also looked dangerous. There is much for Deila to ponder.