Celtic took a huge step towards the Champions League as two stunning Camilo Duran strikes helped carve out a commanding first-leg play-off lead against LASK.

The Colombian struck fabulous efforts either side of half-time after a wonderful finish from Bejamin Nygren set the Scottish champions on their way.

LASK did threaten throughout and had the ball in the Celtic net twice in the first-half, but both goals were ruled out for offside.

The sides meet again in the second leg next Tuesday (20:00 BST) in Linz.

On a typically raucous European night at Celtic Park, LASK stunned the home crowd within 30 seconds when they had the ball in the net.

Cameron Carter-Vickers was caught out by a ball over the top and Moses Usor raced through and dispatched a ruthless finish into the top corner, but the flag went up.

Celtic looked nervy, LASK looked confident, and moments later Carter-Vickers was outpaced by Samuel Adeniran and the American striker should have done better than to drag his strike wide of the target.

The Austrian champions were content to cede possession, sit deep and counter. Their tactics looked spot-on until they were undone by a moment of brilliance.

The ball dropped to Nygren at the edge of the box and the prolific Swede curled a wonderful strike into the top corner to change the dynamic of the match.

LASK thought they had an equaliser when George Bello's pinpoint cross found Adeniran completely unmarked eight yards out and he bulleted a header past Viljami Sinisalo, but again the offside flag was up.

Both sides looked threatening and another magnificent goal doubled Celtic's lead.

A dangerous cross aimed for Kasper Hogh was headed away, but only as far as Duran at the edge of the box and he unleashed an unstoppable rocket of a volley past Lukas Jungwirth.

Celtic upped the tempo after the break with Callum McGregor's deflected strike crashing back off a post and, while LASK caused further moments of panic at the back, the third goal arrived courtesy of Duran.

A smart one-two with Nygren opened up a little space in the box and the Colombian slotted a lovely finish high into the net to give his side some breathing space in the tie and further endear himself to the Celtic fans following his summer arrival.

LASK hunted the goal that would lessen the scale of their task in Linz next week, but Sinisalo dealt with everything that came his way as Celtic preserved a commanding lead to take to Austria.

The Champions League is all about big players producing big moments, and the goals served up by Nygren and Duran were of the very highest quality.

Duran looks to be an inspired signing. His pace, his skill, his eye for goal and appetite for work adds up to a player who looks at home on the biggest stage.

The Colombian scored five goals in the Champions League last season for Qarabag, and if Celtic can finish the job against LASK, he looks like he could be a key weapon.

Celtic looked vulnerable in transition and rode their luck at points as LASK strikers Usor and Adeniran, aided by Sascha Horvath and Robert Ljubicic breaking forward from midfield, caused problems.

Celtic's attacking play was scintillating, though. Some of the interplay between McGregor, Mika Baur and Nygren was sublime, and with Hogh providing the focal point and the electric Duran buzzing around him, they posed problems.

While LASK picked holes in the Celtic defence on the counter attack, Colby Donovan showed up well with an energetic display, contributing to both the defensive effort and adding energy and intelligent passing to the attacking moves.

The Austrian champions showed enough to suggest this tie is not quite done, but Celtic have put themselves in a fantastic position to take their place back among Europe's heavyweights.

Celtic's Premiership match away to St Johnstone on Saturday has been postponed to allow them more preparation time before the second leg on Tuesday.