Shaktar Donetsk 3 Celtic 0: An emphatic Francelino Matuzalem double and exquisite Brandao chip in the second half left Celtic's European dreams in tatters last night.
Celtic's delight at seeing Bobo Balde recover from injury was erased by half-time with Jackie McNamara and Chris Sutton injured. So it was no surprise that Martin O'Neill's men slumped to yet another away defeat in the Champions League to all but end their hopes of reaching the knock-out stages.
Celtic are now bottom of Group F and in danger of missing out on a UEFA Cup spot.
After an all-action opening, the Ukraine outfit gave their opponents a warning of just what was to come when Ciprian Andrei Marica crashed a shot wide when he got a sight of goal in the fourth minute and Zvonimir Vukic blazed over from the edge of the box.
But Celtic weathered that early storm and they came within inches of going ahead themselves with a chance out of nothing in the eighth minute. Chris Sutton found John Hartson on the right flank and he whipped in a dangerous cross which goalkeeper Jan Lastuvka allowed to bounce off the crossbar.
It was the Celtic back four who were under the most pressure in the first-half and Anatoliy Tymoshchuk flashed a low drive across the box which Didier Agathe touched away.
Mariusz Lewandowski then headed Tymoschuk's cross wide of the mark before Hartson blasted high over the top from inside the area.
Vladimir Flavius Stoican won his side a dangerous free-kick in the 23rd minute when he flung himself to the ground, somewhat theatrically, from Camara's challenge. But teenage goalkeeper David Marshall again showed his great ability when he moved to his right to push away Dinca Razvan Rat's left-foot shot.
Celtic produced their best move of the game so far in his absence when Henri Camara burst infield and played the ball up to Hartson on the edge of the area and he teed the ball up for a Sutton strike which Lastuvka could only push away.
O'Neill was forced to replace McNamara with youngster Stephen McManus moments later before Stanislav Varga was booked for a reckless challenge from behind on Marica.
Celtic suffered another major setback at the break when Sutton failed to appear for the second half and was replaced by young winger Ross Wallace. The wounded visitors went behind in the 56th minute when Matuzalem was given too much space to unleash a low shot which Marshall could only get the slightest of touches to.
Celtic were dealt what could be a fatal blow in the 62nd minute. Matuzalem exchanged passes with Vukic and he emphatically fired the ball under Marshall.
It was no surprise that O'Neill took Juninho off and brought on Aiden McGeady - the only shock was that it took him so long with the disappointing Brazilian barely touching the ball.
Celtic had Varga in the wars in the 76th minute when the Slovakian put the ball behind under pressure from Brandao after Marshall had spilled Tymoschuk's strike.
But the Brazilian did beat the youngster with over 12 minutes to go when he brilliantly dinked the ball over him and into the net.
SHAKHTAR DONETSK: Lastuvka, Tymoschuk, Stoican, Rat, Matuzalem, Vukic, Lewandowski, Barcauan, Aghahowa (Srna 81), Vorobey (Brandao 75), Marica (Duljaj 46). Subs Not Used: Shutkov, Hubschman, Bielik, Lalatovic. Booked: Barcauan. Goals: Matuzalem 57, 62, Brandao 78.
CELTIC: Marshall, McNamara (McManus 31), Balde, Varga, Agathe, Lennon, Juninho Paulista (McGeady 71), Petrov, Sutton (Wallace 46), Hartson, Camara. Subs Not Used: Hedman, Sylla, Pearson, Lambert. Booked: Hartson, Varga, Balde, Juninho Paulista.
Referee: Rene Temmink (Holland).
