Outstanding Daizen Maeda netted a Hampden hat-trick as six-goal Celtic booked a place in the Scottish League Cup final and ended Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin's unbeaten start to the season in devastating fashion.

Pre-match pyrotechnics engulfed the national stadium in smoke - resulting in a 13-minute delay - but when sight of the pitch cleared, Brendan Rodgers' rampant side put on a dazzling show of clinical attacking play.

Just three minutes after Cameron Carter-Vickers had thumped in Arne Engels' corner, the magnificent Maeda raced clear to sit down goalkeeper Dimitar Mitov and tee up Japan team-mate Kyogo Furuhashi to slam in a second.

Rodgers' men, who are yet to lose in 13 domestic games this term, had a third before the break when the sublime Nicolas Kuhn guided a ball in behind for Maeda to fire in his first of the night.

The Dons staged a two-goal comeback at Celtic Park a fortnight ago, but there was no chance of a revival at Hampden when Maeda knocked in a back-post rebound before Kuhn hammered in a goal his display merited just before the hour.

And Japan forward Maeda had his third and Celtic's sixth when he provided the finishing touch to a stunning free-flowing move.

Although Aberdeen remain level on points with Celtic at the top of the Premiership, the chastening defeat serves as a reality check for Thelin, who now has first-hand experience of the damage Scotland's dominant force can inflict.

Rodgers' side will face either holders Rangers or Motherwell, who meet at the national stadium on Sunday, in the final on 15 December.

Celtic shipped a two-goal lead in the draw earlier this month, so Rodgers' side had a point to prove and they did that by delivering an ominous message to the Dons.

Albeit in a different competition, the win severely dents any chat about a potential season-long title race between the clubs, who both travelled to Hampden with unbeaten domestic records.

Kuhn and Maeda were simply unplayable at times, although Aberdeen will feel they could have done better in spells.

Maeda's relentless penetrating runs gave Aberdeen right-back Nicky Devlin a torrid evening and his run and set-up play for Kyogo's goal was breathtaking.

German winger Kuhn, meanwhile, showed immense quality with line-breaking passes and a stunning run in the lead-up to Maeda's second. Kuhn's thumping finish for Celtic's fifth capped a superb performance.

It was a Celtic display that asserted their domestic dominance - and Rangers boss Philippe Clement and Motherwell manager Stuart Kettlewell would have watched knowing whatever team gets to the final will need to deliver an almighty showing to claim the trophy.

Just as they were at Celtic Park, the Dons were happy to concede possession and for half an hour their defensive shape was fairly resolute.

But Carter-Vickers' simple opener from Engels' corner opened the floodgates and Thelin's side were simply unable to deal with their relentless opposition.

Continually they were overrun in midfield and were also ruthlessly punished for mistakes.

Slobodan Rubezic losing possession on halfway resulted in Celtic's second, Devlin was too deep for the first of Maeda's treble, and Kuhn escaped a challenge too many for the fourth.

On a sobering night for Thelin, his task now is to ensure the manner of this defeat does not deliver long-term damage to his players after a stunning start to the campaign.