Martin O'Neill's men came of age in Bordeaux last night with a vintage display to earn a draw - and more importantly an away goal - in their tough UEFA Cup second-round first-leg clash at the Stade Lescure.

It could have been sour grapes for the Parkhead side with striker Chris Sutton ruled out before the game with an ankle injury and going behind to a Christophe Dugarry header.

But Celtic showed a lot of bottle to come fighting back with a mature performance, and it was Henrik Larsson who rose to the challenge again to stroke home a penalty to give them a great chance of progressing to the third round.

They could have made a dream start in the very first minute when Bobby Petta's cross was pushed out by goalkeeper Ulrich Rame, but only as far as Larsson, who headed just inches over the bar. Celtic were clearly fired up to score an early away goal - spurred on by their boisterous travelling army.

Jackie McNamara should have done better in the eighth minute when Dugarry headed a Lubo Moravcik free-kick straight to him but he hit a tame effort which Rame saved comfortably on his line.

But the visitors had their hearts in their mouths in the 12th minute when they survived penalty claims from Bordeaux when Palileta went down under a challenge from Johan Mjallby.

Celtic's pressure, however, never relented and a minute later they almost took the lead when Petta won his side a free-kick out on the right. The Dutchman's cross was headed out to Lambert outside the box, but Francois Grenet was on the line to touch his effort past the post.

Petta should have done better moments later as he was in acres of space inside the box when Larsson's cross found him - but the Dutchman's header was tame and the Bordeaux defence cleared the danger.

But Celtic paid for the chances that went begging when they fell foul to a suckerpunch from Bordeaux in the 23rd minute. Grenet won a corner off McNamara and his cross found Dugarry, who rose above everyone in the box to head emphatically home from just six yards.

But Celtic hit back almost immediately to grab a vital away goal from the penalty spot - and it was Larsson who again produced the composure when needed to help ease the loss of Sutton. The Swede drew David Sommeil into bringing him down in the area and took the spot-kick himself, coolly sending Rame the wrong way to put his side back on level terms.

Celtic almost produced another goal in the 33rd minute. Larsson tried to play the ball through to Moravcik and, although Rame looked favourite to collect it, he failed and the Slovakian lobbed just over the bar.

Both teams came out all guns blazing after the break, but it was the home side who were feeling the pressure. Grenet again found space down the right and he whipped the ball into the danger area for Lilian Laslandes to attack it, but the tall striker's header was gratefully received by Gould.

Two minutes later Larsson played Agathe into space on the right of the box and he hit a fierce right-foot shot which Rame pushed away. But Celtic goalkeeper Gould made an embarrassing blunder in the 64th minute.

Agathe gave away a free-kick in a dangerous position and picked up a booking after bringing down Dugarry outside the area. Gould got behind Laslandes' effort, but he made a hash and was relieved to see the ball go wide of the goal.

Celtic breathed another sigh of relief in the 75th minute when a mistake from Lambert almost gave away a goal.

The midfielder was dispossessed near the centre circle and Bordeaux attacked through Laslandes, who picked out Palileta at the far post - but fortunately for Celtic his header came back off the upright.

The home side laid siege to the Celtic goal in the final minutes and substitute Herve Bugnet headed Grenet's cross against the post as Celtic rode their luck.

However, the defence was not going to be breached and Celtic held on for a fantastic result to take back to Parkhead for the second leg in a fortnight.

BORDEAUX: Rame, Roche (Saveljic 80), Laslandes (Bugnet 90), Legwinski (Batlles 82), Grenet, Sommeil, Diabate, Basto, Pauleta, Dugarry, Feindouno. Subs Not Used: Roux, Afanou, Alicarte, Jemmali. Booked: Diabate, Laslandes, Pauleta. Goal: Dugarry 23.

CELTIC: Gould, Boyd, McNamara, Valgaeren, Lambert, Petrov, Agathe, Petta (Healy 90), Moravcik, Mjallby, Larsson. Subs Not Used: Kerr, Stubbs, Berkovic, Johnson, Riseth, Smith. Booked: Agathe, Lambert, Petrov. Goal: Larsson 25 pen. Att: 21,318

Referee: Tom Henning Ovrebo (Norway).