Celtic's luxury items put in shade by bargain basement purchase on opening night

Celtic have splashed the cash on forwards Kasper Hogh and Camilo Duran, with hopes high the duo can help them maintain their status as Scotland's top dogs while shooting them into the Champions League.

In this league curtain-raiser, however, it was down to Benjamin Nygren to secure the three points. The Swede was Celtic's top scorer with 21 goals across all competitions last season and he delivered yet again with what proved to be the winner in a 1-0 triumph over Dundee.

Nygren was bought a year ago for less than £2m from FC Nordsjaelland. Proof that there are diamonds in the rough, even when your fanbase is demanding some heavy spending.

Celtic's armoury undoubtedly needs replenishing, but this wasn't a vintage night for Hogh and Duran. Hogh gave Martin O'Neill's team an effective focal point as the No 9 but he missed one good chance early on and two other reasonable ones. Duran - stationed wide right - worked hard but was well-marshalled down the flank.

Nygren has that uncanny knack of getting into scoring positions from midfield and did benefit from Hogh properly occupying defenders. A World Cup starter with Sweden, it would be no surprise should Celtic have to field bids for him before the transfer window closes.

Interest is already high in two of his team-mates. West Ham are said to have tabled two bids for Arne Engels and Everton are keen admirers of right-back Alistair Johnston. Both players started and fared well.

Celtic cannot afford to be shorn of further quality. This match was a reminder that O'Neill's squad requires additions, not subtractions. Earlier in they day, they learned that Austrian side LASK are their Champions League play-off opponents. This performance will not have left them quaking in their boots.

An organised Dundee competed admirably. Their manager Steven Pressley has rebuilt his squad over the summer and handed a debut to 22-year-old goalkeeper Owen Goodman, on loan from Crystal Palace. This could have been a baptism of fire but Celtic did not test him enough.

One goal sufficed, though. Dundee gave Celtic a guard of honour ahead of the champions' flag unveiling and maintained that level of respect in an attacking sense. For all they were competitive, there was a glaring lack of ingenuity in the final third and Celtic were pretty solid, marshalled by the excellent centre-half Cameron Carter-Vickers.

How Celtic 1-0 Dundee unfolded

Celtic's first chance arrived on nine minutes. Nygren seized upon a stray Drey Wright pass but Hogh skewed his shot wide. The Dane was given an altogether more presentable chance four minutes later when a Kieran Tierney cutback was prodded towards goal by Nygren and Hogh, six-yards out, fired wide.

A previously dormant Dundee awoke a minute later when Charlie Reilly's shot from inside the penalty box whistled into the side-netting.

Hogh had a third effort deflected over the bar just before the half-hour mark and Yang Hyun-jun was crowded out. This wasn't coming easy to Celtic.

Nevertheless, Dundee started to look a shade ragged the closer we got to half-time. On 38 minutes, Celtic fashioned their best chance so far when Tierney's impeccable delivery was met by Engels, but his arrowed header went the wrong side of the post.

It was lamentable for Celtic that they weren't working Goodman, whose gloves were finally dirtied three minutes before the interval when he clawed a strike from Tierney over the bar.

Tierney was another of the older guard who was excelling and his delicious delivery on 52 minutes engineered the opener. Nygren just had to time his run correctly and he did so, guiding the header beyond a helpless Goodman.

Dundee responded on the hour mark by bringing on the lively Ash Hay to spruce up their front line and his pace was beneficial. The striker nearly sprinted past Trusty in a rare Dundee forage forward.

Celtic were the ones creating the chances. Goodman plunged on a daisycutter from Yang, then Tierney shot straight at him after a lovely passing move.

The final ten minutes became more frantic. Hay had Dundee's best moment with a header that the previously underworked Viljami Sinisalo saved. Celtic so nearly bagged a second when Hogh again missed the target from close range, then Callum McGregor slapped the post and Sebastian Tounekti lashed the ball wildly over the bar.

But unlike rivals Rangers and Hearts, Celtic got the job done. Despite the transfer window concerns, they have already stolen a march in the title race.