Celtic edge Malmo in Champions League play-off.

Former Hoops striker returns to leave Deila’s side in qualifying sweat

Celtic’s Champions League hopes are up in the air after a narrow win over Malmo in the first leg of their play-off which saw former Hoops attacker Jo Inge Berget return to haunt the Parkhead club with a double.

Leigh Griffiths, preferred to Nadir Ciftci in the main striker’s role for the first time in Europe this season, gave the Scottish champions the lead in the third minute with a typical poacher’s goal before midfielder Nir Biton headed in a second from a Stefan Johansen corner.

However, Berget, who had a short and unsuccessful loan spell at Parkhead last season, pulled a goal back in the 52nd minute with a wonderful volley across Craig Gordon’s goal and in at the far post.

Griffiths headed in his second and sixth of the season in the 61st minute to make it 3-1 but in the fifth of five added minutes added on Berget scored from close range to make the second leg in Sweden next week more fraught than it ought to have been.

It had started so well for the home side.

Celtic looked fired up from the first whistle and got off to the perfect start when midfielder Johansen’s clever pass was stopped by Griffiths around 12 yards out and the former Hibs and Dundee striker quickly steered the ball with his left foot past Johan Wiland.

Celtic Park erupted again in the 10th minute when Biton rose a couple of yards out to head in a Johansen corner, the Norway international coming close to making it three moments later, only to be foiled by the foot of the Malmo goalkeeper.

As the Swedish side stumbled around in something of a daze, Griffiths hit the side netting with a powerful left-footed drive from the edge of the box.

There were occasional slack moments in the Hoops’ play but it took 20 minutes for keeper Gordon to be tested and he made a fine save Vladimir Rodic’s 25-yard drive.

Celtic’s grip on the game loosened slightly, but only slightly, as the first half unfolded further and in the 36th minute Stuart Armstrong flashed an angled-drive past the far post to remind Malmo of further potential damage.

However, it was the home side who suffered a blow seven minutes into the second half following an Armstrong corner which came to nothing.

Malmo broke and with the Hoops defence still getting trying to get organised, Magnus Elkrem fired in a cross from wide on the right which ended up at the unmarked Berget, who volleyed past Gordon and into the far corner.

For the first time the Swedish side looked confident and moments later Gordon parried a Nikola Djurdic drive to safety.

However, just after the hour mark, Griffiths capitalised on slack defending by Anton Tinnerholm who headed a Mikael Lustig cross straight up into the air, by sending a looping header over Wiland and in off the post.

The closing stages were nervy at times as Malmo went looking for the goal which would make the second leg less daunting and with almost the last kick of the ball, as the home side failed to clear a corner, Berget fired high into the net from close range to change the complexion of the tie.

Ronny Deila’s side now face a tricky test next week as they look to put last season’s disappointment of slumping out of the Champions League at the final qualifying stage, not once but twice.

They failed to find a way past Maribor when given a reprieve after losing to Legia Warsaw, who fielded an ineligible player.

Celtic: Gordon, Lustig (Ambrose 80), van Dijk, Boyata, Izaguirre, Forrest, Brown, Biton, Johansen, Armstrong (Mackay-Steven 63), Griffiths (Ciftci 73). Subs Not Used: Bailly, Commons, Rogic, Mulgrew.

Malmo FF: Wiland, Tinnerholm, Arnason, Bengtsson, Yotun, Rodic, Lewicki, Rakip (Sana 81), Berget, Eikrem (Carvalho 72), Djurdjic. Subs Not Used: Fredrik Andersson, Konate, Molins, Mehmeti, Vindheim.

Referee: Felix Brych (Germany).