Celtic stroll into Europa League playoffs

Paris, Aug 12, 2021 (AFP) - David Turnbull scored twice as Celtic eased past FK Jablonec of the Czech Republic 3-0 on the night and 7-2 on aggregate to reach the Europa League play-offs on Thursday.

Already 4-2 to the good from the first leg, the outcome of the return match in the final qualifying round was rarely in doubt.

Turnbull, 22, scored his first goal of the season after 25 minutes and added a second just before the hour.

James Forrest put away a deserved third after 72 minutes to send Ange Postecoglou's side into a play-off against AZ Alkmaar of the Netherlands.

"The crowd was brilliant, it was everything everyone said it would be to me. It was just really special," Postecoglou told the BBC.

"At the moment we're asking a core group of payers - we don't have a great deal of depth - to play a high energy type of game.

"Having the crowd behind them just gives them that little bit of extra energy they may need if they feel the tank is getting a bit empty."

After battling to a creditable 1-1 draw in Turkey last week, St Johnstone were defeated at home by Galatasaray 4-2.

The 5-3 aggregate win gave the experienced European campaigners a play-off tie with Randers of Denmark.

Mbaye Diagne, Kerem Akturkoglu, Sofiane Feghouli and Emre Kilinc were all on target for the Turkish side.