Champions League qualifying: Celtic 3-0 Lincoln Red Imps (agg 3-1)

Patrick Roberts' sublime run and finish was the pick of Celtic's goals

Celtic made short work of Gibraltarian part-timers Lincoln Red Imps to book a Champions League third qualifying round tie with Astana of Kazakhstan.

Three goals in six first-half minutes swiftly overturned the 1-0 deficit from last week's shock first-leg result.

Mikael Lustig swivelled to notch the opener before Leigh Griffiths cut inside to lash home the second.

Patrick Roberts swept home a fine third but Moussa Dembele and Griffiths, twice, missed further good chances.

But that impressive first-half performance was enough to get the job done and settle any lingering nerves.

New Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers was desperate to exorcise the ghost of Gibraltar and almost 50,000 fans packed into Celtic Park expecting his side to do just that.

A repeat of the sensational shock on the Rock was simply unthinkable.

The evening started with the unfurling of the SPFL Premiership league title flag but as the cheers died down, last season was forgotten and attention turned to Champions League progression.

As expected, Celtic came out swinging from the start and looked very much in the mood, roared on by the home support.

Mikael Lustig's opening goal settled any lingering Celtic nerves

The part-timers held out for 23 minutes, Stuart Armstrong seeing a shot saved and Callum McGregor's deflected effort hitting the bar.

But two quick-fire goals from Lustig and Griffiths settled nerves and put Celtic in command of the tie.

The Swedish international curled in a left-footed shot from around 10 yards before Griffiths - scorer of 40 goals last season - opened his account for this campaign with an impressive strike from the edge of the box after being played in by the impressive Roberts.

Minutes later, after sumptuous build-up play and a one-two with McGregor, the on-loan winger floated in from the right and fired in a fantastic third.

Lincoln's first-leg hero Lee Casciaro raised a few eyebrows early in the second half when he caught Erik Sviatchenko napping and stabbed the ball just past Craig Gordon's right-hand post.

The visitors were enjoying a little more of the ball, but rarely threatened to create further chances.

Celtic's first-half pace and drive gave way to a more considered approach after the interval, but the fans urged them on desperate for more goals.

Raul Navas in the Lincoln goal was determined to keep it respectable though and he twice denied Dembele from close range, while Griffiths headed over an inviting ball from Lustig.

Rodgers shuffled his pack, bringing on Kristoffer Ajer, Emillio Izaguirre and later Nadir Ciftci as the tempo slowed.

Navas was at it again with five minutes left, this time frustrating Griffiths, who should have scored from eight yards out when through on the keeper.

If victory was perhaps not enough to erase the painful memory of the first-leg defeat, it was sufficient to take them comfortably through.

And for Rodgers, that will do just fine.