Celtic 1 Benfica 0:Celtic's aspirations of emulating last season's run to the last 16 of the Champions League remain intact, a solitary goal sufficient to hand Gordon Strachan's team victory over Benfica on a typically rousing Parkhead night.
The visitors, for whom the Uefa Cup is now the only realistic hope of European football beyond Christmas, were slick and often territorially dominant but Celtic displayed more cutting edge; a matter proved when Aiden McGeady fired home the only goal of the match.
Only Barcelona have won here in the Champions League but the Portuguese side displayed no inhibitions. During an engaging first-half the Benfica striker, Oscar Cardozo, came close to opening the scoring on two occasions with Rui Costa belying his 35 years in midfield.
Yet Celtic, for whom victory was almost essential with Shakhtar Donetsk and Milan filling the top two places in Group D, were not short of attacking verve. Scott Brown forced Benfica's goalkeeper, Quim, into a smart save from a half-volley while John Kennedy miscued a header from six yards out.
Shunsuke Nakamura's absence - the Japanese set-piece expert was absent with a knee injury - was first noted after 25 minutes as Lee Naylor launched a free-kick high over Quim's goal. Nakamura's replacement as Celtic's most creative force, McGeady, made his presence felt on the stroke of half-time. A darting run from the Ireland international preceded an angled, 20-yard shot, which took a deflection off Luisao before flying in.
Celtic's bright opening to the second period suggested their confidence was suitably boosted by McGeady's intervention. Cardozo, though, headed wide as he tried to emulate his winner against the Scots in Lisbon a fortnight ago.
Benfica's frustrations soon grew, however; illustrated by Gilles' Binya's shocking lunge on Brown, five minutes from time, which earned him a red card.
CELTIC:Boruc, Naylor, Caldwell, Kennedy, McManus, Scott Brown (Sno 89), Hartley, Jarosik (Donati 66), McGeady, Vennegoor of Hesselink (Killen 66), McDonald. Subs not used:Mark Brown, Zurawski, Riordan, O'Dea.
BENFICA:Quim, Luis Felipe, Edcarlos, Luisao, Leo, Katsouranis, Rui Costa (Bergessio 77), Pereira (Di Maria 61), Binya, Rodriguez, Cardozo (Nuno Gomes 77). Subs not used:Butt, Zoro, Nuno Assis, Adu. Sent Off:Binya (85). Booked:Pereira.
Referee: Martin Hansson(Sweden).
