Larsson record as Celtic establish healthy lead

MTK Hungaria 0 Celtic 4

Celtic took a massive step towards the group stages of the Champions' League by running away to a crushing win over MTK Hungaria here last night.

Henrik Larsson, Didier Agathe, Stilian Petrov and Chris Sutton provided the goals that give the Hoops an almost unbeatable lead in the second leg of the third round qualifier at Parkhead.

The hunger which saw them progress to the final of the Uefa Cup last year was back here and Martin O'Neill's men quickly set about trying to find the away goal he so desperately craved.

MTK had looked strong to begin with, but Celtic were far more deadly with their finishing. Larsson had already equalled the record held by Ian Rush and Peter Lorimer for the most European goals scored for a British club and he made the record his own when he fired home his 31st with 16 minutes on the clock. Agathe joined Larsson on the scoresheet 19 minutes later. Neither manager opted to make any changes during the half-time interval and in the 68th minute Petrov netted Celtic's third goal of the night.

O'Neill's men saved the best for last when Sutton produced an amazing diving header from a Larsson pass to nod the ball into the back of the net in the final minute of the game.

MTK Hungaria: Vegh, Molnar, Juhasz, Pusztai, Suzi, Zavadszky, Halmai, Jezdimirovics, Rednic, W Silva, Illes. Substitutes: Kovacs, Pisont, Zabos, Czvitkovics, Torghelle, Szabo, Pandur.

Celtic: Douglas, Valgaeren, Balde, Varga, Agathe, Lennon, Lambert, Petrov, Thompson, Sutton, Larsson. Substitutes: Hedman, Sylla, McNamara, Maloney, Smith, Crainey, Miller.

Referee: K Nielsen (Denmark).