Camilo Duran has 6 goals in 5 matches, and Celtic suddenly have a very good selection headache. The £6m signing from Qarabag drove the 3-0 win over Aberdeen with a 14th-minute opener, a constant threat in front of goal and the pass for the third. In a team already full of attacking options, he is starting to look like the one they cannot move around.

Sky Sports reporter, quoted by skysports.com, wrote: "Camilo Duran has now scored six goals in five matches and Martin O'Neill might find it difficult to put him back on the wing when fellow centre-forward Kasper Hogh recovers from a thigh injury." That feels about right after Celtic vs Aberdeen, because Duran did far more than nick a goal in a comfortable home win.

Duran's centre-forward case

He had Celtic ahead inside 15 minutes, drilling a 20-yard strike in off the bar in the 14th minute. It was the sort of finish that changes the tone of a game straight away, and Aberdeen never really recovered from it.

Duran's output across the full match was just as convincing. He had 6 shots, 4 of them on target, and his influence did not stop at the penalty box. The assist for the third goal mattered almost as much as the opener, because it showed he can lead the line without turning every attack into a one-man job.

That is why the quote about moving him back wide lands. A player can score in bursts and still look temporary in the role. Duran does not. He looks like a centre-forward who is giving Celtic a different focal point, one that is direct enough to stretch a back line and busy enough to keep the wingers involved.

The fee adds to the early sense that Celtic may have moved smartly here. Duran arrived from Qarabag for £6m, and five matches in, that looks like a modest price for a forward already producing at this rate.

Nygren and Yang made it a first-half rout

Duran was the headline, but Benjamin Nygren and Yang Hyun-Jun were a big part of why the game was effectively done by half-time. Nygren scored Celtic's second in the 34th minute, and Yang added the third in first-half stoppage time after Duran set him up.

Quoted by dailyrecord.co.uk, a Daily Record reporter summed it up neatly: "Duran blasted the Hoops ahead inside 15 minutes then had a hand in Benjamin Nygren slotting the second before he teed up Yang Hyun-jun for number three."

Nygren's numbers backed up his influence. He finished with 1 goal and 1 assist, while his 9.0 rating was the best on the pitch. Yang's return was strong as well, with an 8.2 rating and the sort of wide threat that kept Aberdeen pinned back.

Celtic have now won 5 of their last 5 competitive matches, and this one had the feel of an attack finding combinations quickly rather than relying on one hot finisher. That is the encouraging bit for Brendan Rodgers. Duran is scoring, but the supply and support around him look settled too.

Aberdeen's collapse before the break

Aberdeen did have one moment that might have changed the mood a touch, when Gavin Molloy hit the bar just before Yang made it 3-0. Even so, the larger problem was their defending, not bad fortune.

Quoted by dailyrecord.co.uk, a Daily Record reporter wrote: "It was slack defending that will have hurt the Pittodrie gaffer the most." That lines up with the way the first half unfolded, with Celtic repeatedly finding space and getting runners into dangerous spots.

Stephen Robinson made 4 changes at the interval, which told its own story. Managers do not usually turn to that many half-time switches unless the game has already got away from them. Aberdeen goalkeeper Marius Müller still made 8 saves, so the score could have looked worse by the end.

From Celtic's side, that is probably the clearest sign of how well the front line functioned. Duran supplied the spark, Nygren and Yang finished the damage, and Aberdeen were pushed into emergency measures before the second half had even started.

FAQ

Why is Camilo Duran becoming so important for Celtic?

Duran has scored 6 goals in 5 matches for Celtic, and his latest performance against Aberdeen showed more than finishing. He struck in the 14th minute from 20 yards, had 6 shots with 4 on target, and also set up Yang Hyun-jun for Celtic's third goal.

Did Celtic's front three overwhelm Aberdeen?

Yes. Duran scored the opener, Benjamin Nygren added the second in the 34th minute, and Yang Hyun-jun made it 3-0 in first-half stoppage time after being set up by Duran. Nygren also finished with 1 goal and 1 assist as Celtic blew the game open before the break.

Was Celtic 3-0 Aberdeen as one-sided as the score suggests?

For most of the first half, yes. Aberdeen goalkeeper Marius Müller still made 8 saves, which kept the margin down, but the defending was poor enough that Stephen Robinson made 4 changes at half-time. Gavin Molloy did hit the bar just before Yang scored, yet Celtic had already taken control.

What transfer fee did Celtic pay for Camilo Duran?

The reported fee in the match coverage was £6m, with Duran signed from Qarabag. That price looks increasingly modest given he has already scored 6 goals in his first 5 matches for Celtic.

Written by Sam Whitfield with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →