At one stage last night as the ball spun high into the night sky and seemed to hang up there with Kristoffer Ajer suspended beneath, there was the briefest of seconds to ponder Celtic’s particular alchemy with European football.

If it has seemed like a throw of the dice this season in Europe with regard to which Celtic side were turning up, there was little ambiguity last night. From the opening pulsating minutes, this game had the hallmark of one of those robust, theatrical nights so often witnessed when Celtic and European football collide.

The billing before the game was for Moussa Dembele but the headlines belonged to Callum McGregor. The midfielder worked his socks off throughout but his goal was not owing to industry nor endeavour but skill and craft, a compliment that could be levelled at Celtic’s performance in its entirety.

Read more: Celtic striker Moussa Dembele urges caution ahead of Zenit return leg

Zenit might not belong in the same bracket as some of Europe’s elite but a team who can spend £77m fine tuning their squad is not to be dismissed – and nor should the manner in which this result was orchestrated.

Aggressive and purposeful, Celtic had an air of authority about them as they dictated the tempo and took the game to their Russian visitors. Gone was the timidity and tentativeness that was evident in Celtic’s December European outing against Anderlecht and in its place was a more bullish, streetwise side.

If this season has been painful for the most part in a bruising but lucrative Champions League campaign, last night’s performance was a reminder of what Celtic are capable of conjuring under the bright lights when they go toe-to-toe with Continental opposition.

The Europa League is the fizzy wine next to the champers of the Champions League but still there was nothing flat about the way Celtic went at Zenit St Petersburg from the off – or how a sell-out crowd responded to a spirited display.

Brendan Rodgers is right in his depiction of how the landscape changes have shut the door on Celtic being able to harbour quiet hopes of advancement in any European competition given the disparate resources. But the display against Zenit served a reminder that they will not relinquish their aspirations meekly.

If a glance at the team sheet had indicated a more tempered approach to the game than the front-foot selections this term, that was set aside with the way that Celtic went about their business.

With McGregor deployed just behind Dembele and James Forrest and Kieran Tierney probing and pushing on either flank, Celtic spent the opening 45 minutes opening up a Zenit defence that looked a side who hadn't played for the last three months. In the middle was Olivier Ntcham whose touch and grace on the ball belie an ability to power his way through a midfield.

Celtic’s only frustration as the whistle blew for the break was their inability to convert the chances their set-up produced.

Dembele was guilty of scorning two of them as he read one chance too late, and went too early for another, and the fear that lurked nervously in the stadium was the old adage that when on top of the game, the ball needs to go in the net.

Read more: Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers: We have given ourselves a great opportunity​

Tierney’s long-term contract at Celtic offers the club some security but the Scotland internationalist will always invite attention with performances like the one he produced last night. If Celtic were dominant throughout, Tierney epitomised much of that, particularly in an opening period in which he had his opposite number, Igo Smolnik twisting and turning and glancing nervously over his shoulder.

Against a team who scored than other side in the Europa League group stages, Celtic’s make-shift defence was eyed with some suspicion before this one. Brendan Rodgers’ wish for a clean sheet raised a few eyebrows given the porous nature of Celtic’s backline this term as well as the lack of options due to a congested treatment room.

With Ajer’s nervy performance against Astana this summer in the Champions League qualifiers fresh in the mind, the 19-year-old Norwegian produced a far more mature performance last night.

At one stage in the opening moments of the second period as Jozo Simunovic slipped, it was Ajer who stepped calmly into the breach to snuff out any danger. The pairing sat in front of Dorus De Vries – the first time they have started a European game together for Celtic.

De Vries too had one save from Daler Kuzyaev in the early stages that seemed to settled him, although in fairness Celtic’s line of defence appeared to lie in attack. Their clean sheet was the first Celtic have enjoyed in either the Europa League or Champions League outwith a qualifier since October 2014.

Scott Brown and Kouassi were charged with holding the play in the middle of the park, with Brown instrumental to the manner in which Celtic refused to allow Zenit to find a toehold into the game.

It was not just in front of goal where Roberto Mancini’s side rode their luck; Kuzyaev was the first name into the book but just two minutes later was guilty of slicing his way through McGregor.

Charly Musonda was introduced to the fray with 18 minutes of regulation time remaining. The on-loan Chelsea playmaker was quickly introduced to the more base approach from the Russians when he found himself scythed.

Within a minute Musonda had exacted an apt revenge. A beautifully weighted chip into the back post was taken down with McGregor’s chest before his arched finish crashed high into the net.

McGregor deserved it as did Celtic.

Russia beckons now with something to protect.