ARMENIA’S ASHKERT FC were unable to provide a bump in Celtic’s Champions League qualification process as they slipped to a 3- 0 (6-0 on aggregate) defeat despite playing against 10 men for 79 minutes.
Jozo Simunovic was handed a red card after just 11, minutes, however Moussa Dembele had already opened the scoring by that point and the three-goal cushion from the first leg meant the hosts never put in grave danger.
Dembele doubled Celtic’s lead from the penalty spot after 19 minutes, but Brendan Rodgers will have to count the star as an injury concern ahead of next week’s meeting with Rosenborg.
James Forrest capped the scoring for the Hoops with a swift counter-attack after 35 minutes and any remaining hope was extinguished in the visitors.
There was far more drama in the tie that took Rosenborg to the next round as, after losing the first leg to Valur 1-0, the Norwegian side needed a 94th minute Nicklas Bendtner penalty to avoid an exit on away goals and advance 3-2 on aggregate, 3-1 on the night.
Rodgers’ men knocked Rosenborg out in the third qualifying stage last year, Forrest grabbing the only goal over two legs.
