Soccer/Champions League, second qualifying round: FBK Kaunas...0 Celtic...4 It took Henrik Larsson just 13 minutes of the new campaign to make more goalscoring history in Lithuania last night.
His 30th European goal for Celtic put the UEFA Cup finalists on course for the final qualifying round of the Champions League.
The former Swedish international equalled the British record in Europe of 30, for a single club, held by former Liverpool striker Ian Rush and Leeds United legend Peter Lorimer.
Chris Sutton and Shaun Maloney also opened their season accounts early, and Liam Miller netted to virtually assure Celtic of a final qualifier against the winners of the MTK Hungaria v HJK Helsinki tie.
The Glasgow side will now be expected to reach the money-spinning group stages after avoiding disaster in this potentially tricky hurdle.
Martin O'Neill was anxious about coming to Lithuania so early especially with their unknown opponents vowing to pull off a shock victory for former striker Audrius Slekys, who was killed in a car crash on Sunday night.
But he need not have worried as his players showed great attitude to comfortably sweep their opponents aside in the St Dariaus and Giremo Stadium.
Goalkeeper Robert Douglas, whose position as Celtic's number one was the subject of much debate prior to kick-off, hardly had a save to make.
He starts the new season as first-choice as O'Neill went with almost the same UEFA Cup final side with the only change being Stanislav Varga in for the suspended Bobo Balde.
The selection of the Scotland goalkeeper came as a shock, as he was axed after his mistakes cost the Celtic European glory in Seville less than three months ago.
The visitors, in their new black away shirts, almost made a dream start after just four minutes. Didier Agathe clipped the ball through to Neil Lennon and his shot past goalkeeper Gytis Padimanskas looked destined for the back of the net, but Irmantas Zelmikas was quick to spot the danger and cleared for a a corner.
The home defence then made a hash of Alan Thompson's corner and Larsson showed he was as razor-sharp as ever to sweep the ball home.
Sutton then doubled Celtic's lead in the 29th minute after he capitalised on another terrible blunder by Padimanskas to stroke the ball home from close range.
Celtic seemed to take their foot off the gas after the half-time introduction of Shaun Maloney for Lennon, but extended their lead further with a fluent passing move which was started by Thompson's ball out wide to Larsson. The Swede steered the ball inside to Maloney who raced beyond the Kaunas defence before casually guiding the ball past the hand of Padimanskas and into the bottom corner.
Celtic could afford to take Larsson off, finish with 10 men and score again through Miller.
FBK Kaunas: Padimanskas, Gvildys, Kancelskis, Petrenka, Regelskis, Papeckys (Opic 65), Gedgaudas, Sirmelis (Pastva 75), Zelmikas, Beniusis (Karalius 80), Barevicius. Subs Not Used: Stonys, Sanajevas, Puotkalis, Kunevicius. Booked: Gedgaudas.
Celtic: Douglas, Agathe, Valgaeren, Mjallby, Varga, Petrov, Lennon (Maloney 46), Lambert, Thompson (Smith 70), Larsson, Sutton (Miller 73). Subs Not Used: Hedman, Sylla, McNamara, Crainey. Booked: Thompson. Goals: Larsson 13, Sutton 29, Maloney 54, Miller 85.
Referee: Paulo Cesar Da Silva (Portugal).
