IT is difficult to determine just which of the Scottish teams that travelled to Tallinn had an easier time of it, the national side of 1996 or the Celtic team who rocked up in Estonia 23 years later. Bearing in mind, of course, that Scotland’s opponents failed to turn up.
Christopher Jullien made his full debut for Celtic here, but it was a competitive game in name only. An Aleksandr Kulinits own goal after 10 minutes and a powerful finish by substitute Marian Shved in stoppage time gave Celtic a hugely comfortable 7-0 aggregate win.
In all honesty, the whole occasion felt like just another a pre-season friendly given Celtic’s huge lead from the first leg and the muted atmosphere inside the half-full Estonian national stadium.
The scorelines that Celtic are racking up as they progress through these Champions League qualifying rounds continue to make a mockery of the early stage at which they are forced to participate. But you play the cards you’re dealt, and Celtic did so here in professional fashion.
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Neil Lennon had asked that there be a resistance to make any snap judgments about Jullien after his first game, but it was impossible to make any real assessment of him as a player in any case such was the gulf between the sides. The big Frenchman could have played in size 13 slippers, but even on this scant evidence, he looks to be exactly what Lennon billed him as; powerful, dominant, decent on the ball, vocal on the field and possessing a decent turn of pace.
There were six changes in all from last week’s stroll at Celtic Park, with Craig Gordon, Anthony Ralston, Lewis Morgan, Olivier Ntcham and Mikey Johnston joining Jullien in the starting line-up.
It was Gordon’s first competitive start since the defeat to Rangers back in December of last year, and while his manager had said in the lead up to the game that he would be judging his keepers on how well they did in keeping the ball out of the net rather than how good they were with the ball at their feet, Gordon had little chance to press his claim as he barely dirtied his gloves.
Of those coming in from the cold, it was Ntcham who was most impressive, with the rather large rocket put up him by his manager upon his return to the club a couple of weeks ago after some ill-advised comments in the French media appearing to have had quite the motivating effect.
The midfielder looked sharp, was an influence on the game and showed off his extensive passing range. When he’s in the mood like he was here there is no doubting his quality, and Lennon will be hoping this Ntcham is the one who he sees more often this season if he is to stay at the club.
READ MORE: As it happened: Nomme Kalju 0-2 Celtic | Shved scores on competitive debut
Celtic were straight on the front foot, and a neat exchange in midfield allowed Morgan to get a shot away that cleared the top corner.
It seemed a matter of time before the visitors would score, and it didn’t take them long. Ntcham played Johnston in down the left and the winger cut the ball across for what initially looked like a Griffiths tap-in. His slightly embarrassed reaction suggested though that either his marker had got the last touch, or that the gulf between the teams was so vast he didn’t want to rub it in. Sure enough, it was Kulinits with the final kick.
Celtic could have had a couple more before the interval, but there was an edge missing to their good build-up play reflective of the blunt edge to the fixture. Johnston really should have done better though when a poor header by home substitute Max Mata gift-wrapped him a chance in the box, but his volley sailed over.
Ntcham curled his third effort of the game over the bar just after the restart, but the home side finally started to apply a little bit of pressure and Gordon was at least forced to earn his appearance fee as he blocked a shot from Kaspar Paur.
There was a chance to see what threat Jullien could pose in the opposition area as Griffiths swung a free-kick in that the big defender met with a header that went over and out, with the bloody nose he suffered in the process the only one that Celtic were likely to suffer on the night.
Scott Sinclair and Shved got run-outs during the last half-hour, and the latter had a great chance when set up by Morgan seconds after coming on, but he was denied as Pavel Londak spread himself to save.
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A slip by Brown almost gave Kalju a gift of a goal and something to show for their wholehearted efforts, but Paur hesitated as he ran through on Gordon to allow Brown to get back and make amends.
It would be Shved who would have the final say though, finishing emphatically into the top corner after Griffiths was crowded out for his first goal in the hoops.
That was pretty much that on a night when Celtic did what they had to. A sterner test now awaits in the third qualifying round against Dan Petruscu’s CFR Cluj, though it could hardly be anything else.
The Romanian champions have been in the group stages of this competition three times themselves, and Lennon and Celtic will know that they face a step up to prevent them clocking up a fourth.
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