2012-12-05: Celtic 2-1 Spartak Moscow, European Cup

Match Pictures | Matches: 2012 – 2013 | 2012-13 Pictures

Trivia

• Champions League 2012 – 13, group match 6.
• CELTIC QUALIFY FOR KO STAGES FOR THIRD TIME!
• Final group standings Barcelona top, Celtic 10pts,Benfica 8pts, Spartak bottom with 3.
• Barcelona (B team!) 0-0 Benfica (1st team) in other match.
• Kris Commons causes palpitations scoring a penalty that won the match late on that came off the underside of the bar. He later admitted at the time he didn’t realise the importance of the goal as thought Barcelona were winning! It could have been all so different. Crazy!!!!
• Lionel Messi said he’d ensure that Barcelona would win for the ‘amazing Celtic’ fans. “The Celtic fans deserve to be in Europe. I have never seen anything like that before.” He came on as sub and taken off with an injury!
• Celtic’s 150th European Cup game.
• Man City cost £930m, Chelsea cost £266m, Celtic £12m; Man City (EPL Champions) bottom of their group, Chelsea (European Cup winners 2012) out at group stage, first time ever current holder has gone out at this stage, or Celtic squad cost: £15 million. QUALIFIED. Chelsea squad cost: £350 million. OUT. Manchester City squad cost: £400 million. OUT. (you can take whatever figures but reads still we’re the best!)
• Interesting fact, if Barcelona didn’t score the last minute winner vs Celtic. Celtic would have finished 1st in the table.
• Celtic will make more money from this season’s UCL than Charles Green will from his share issue.
• Spartak sacked their manager two weeks prior after some poor results.
• Reports that Celtic’s win earned each SPL club £235,000, however later proven not to be the case. Celtic’s group stage participation alone did earn the SPL £1.5m instead of £500,000, with the split between the other eleven still to be confirmed. If ever there was a good reason to want a Scottish club to do well in Europe, then that’s it!
• Celtic’s victory tonight means that the Scottish coefficient for 2012/13 is already the highest since 2007/08. Could still improve.
• Spartak star Nigerian star claimed before game that other players don’t like him (or the likes). Showed some disharmony in their squad.
• We’d embarrassingly drawn one each last weekend with lowly Arbroath in the Scottish Cup at home!
• Green Brigade back after their two game home boycott although they refuse to do a Tifo etc. Currently in a spat with the club officials.
• Hun sycophant journalist Jim Traynor quits journalism ending with a tantrum article. Laughable and good riddance. Incompetent idiot anyhow.
• As Celtic are 10 minutes away from making the last 16 of the Champions League, Sevco watch on, preparing for their game against Montrose.
• Celtic win UEFA’s team of the week after this victory! see: link

Review

(Hellas67 of KDS)
In the first half we were pretty dire, and I hated seeing Ambrose so friendly with their attacker (Emienke???) as we saw when theycame out before the game (and at the start of the second half)chatting like long lost friends it seemed like that throughout the game he tried to make sure that he never offended said friend by actually challenging him for the ball, I was actually convinced at one point that he had been bought!!!

Anyway Lustig was immense before his injury, Sammi came onto a great game in the second half, but Mulgrew frustrated me with his corners almost always going into the keepers hands.

In the first half it seemed as if perhaps the nerves that visited us in the Benefica game would get the better of us again, but we showed far more purpose in the second half and I reckon we more than deserved to win it. I also reckon that Spartak were very lucky to have only one sent off as especially in the first half the went in from behind on almost every foul they gave away, and indeed in the second half even wee McGeady could consider himselft lucky not to have been shown a second yellow.

We have done it for the third time and have managed to gain ten points, both records for those who like such things (ie zombie wangers), but am I correct in thinking that perhaps it is a record points total also for a team orginally seeded fourth in the group to have obtained???

Who’s going to pull up Jesus by the way, no not the saviour, by the benfica manager who said we didn’t deserve to be their due to our negative attitude to playing the game?? If we were that negative how come we qualified two points clear of his team who couldn’t even beat a second string barcelona, and indeed how come we managed to score four more goals than them……I hope they get totally pumped at the first stage of the europa league…….

By the way what is the combined value of the two best teams in the bestest bestest league in the world (copyright any English media outlet) who failed miserably to qualify.

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Stats

Celtic v Spartak Moscow

Possession
60% 40%
90mins

Shots
10 9

On target
7 4

Corners
11 1

Fouls
11 22

Articles

Celtic 2-1 Spartak Moscow: Kris Commons spot kick sees Celts into last 16

STV 5 December 2012 22:02 GMT

Kris Commons and Charlie Mulgrew hail the winning goal at Celtic Park.© SNS Group

Celtic will compete in the Champions League knock-out phases after their 2-1 victory over Spartak Moscow was enough to clinch second place in Group G.

Neil Lennon’s men bettered Benfica’s 0-0 draw in Barcelona to progress after a Kris Commons penalty settled the game in Glasgow.

Gary Hooper had earlier given Celtic the lead before Ari levelled for the Russians.

But when Georgios Samaras won a soft penalty award with nine minutes to play, Commons belted the spot kick in off the bar to cue wild celebrations at Celtic Park.

The Celts, who had Victor Wanyama unavailable through suspension, started with Biram Kayal in the centre of midfield alongside captain Scott Brown while Hooper was partnered up front by Samaras.

Spartak Moscow left former Celtic Park star Aiden McGeady on the bench, the wing man having recently returned from injury.

It was the hosts who were in the ascendancy early, with Samaras getting a head to a Mikael Lustig cross but unable to find Hooper after 11 minutes.

Kirill Kombarov gave Celtic a scare a minute later when he left Kris Commons for dead on the left and centred a fizzing low cross. Kelvin Wilson managed to block it clear with Emmanual Emenike lurking.

Kim Kallstrom then went close with a left foot effort after a one-two with Artem Dzuba.

Celtic got the breakthrough to relieve the tension in the stadium after 21 minutes.

Hesitation in the Spartak defence allowed Hooper to bear down on Sergei Pesyakov before unleashing an unstoppable low drive into the bottom right hand corner of the net.

Emenike was causing the defence issues and his dangerous running led to Spartak’s equaliser five minutes before the break.

The striker drew three Celtic defenders to him before releasing Ari in the box. With Izaguirre behind him, the Brazilian clipped the ball over Forster and into the net, despite the best attentions of Efe Ambrose.

Knowing Benfica were goalless with Barcelona in the Camp Nou, Celtic had to find a victory and they began the second half with pace and purpose.

The longer the game drew on however, the longer Spartak grew in confidence. The Russian side held possession and frustrated Lennon’s team.

The Celtic boss threw on Lassad Nouioui to stretch the game in a 4-3-3 formation but still Spartak stood firm.

Charlie Mulgrew thought he had broken through with 12 minutes left when he headed a Commons corner into the ground and up towards the top corner of the net.

Pesyakov produced a fine save to tip the ball over the bar and keep Celtic at bay.

The Hoops got their break three minutes later with Samaras the hero. The Greek chested a cross down and weaved past the defender inside the box.

As he passed Marek Suchy he trailed a leg and went down. The contact was minimal but enough for the German referee to be satisfied and point to the spot.

Commons took responsibility and blasted the ball off the underside of the ball and into the turf on the other side of the goal-line.

The Scotland midfielder was stretchered off injured before the end of play, as Swedish star Kim Kallstrom earned a straight red card for a vicious challenge on the match winner.

With five minutes of injury time to contend with, Samaras and Lassad kept the ball in Spartak territory and saw the game out.

As news filtered through of Benfica’s failure to win against a shadow Barcelona team, celebrations began on the turf as Neil Lennon’s men prepare to join Europe’s elite next year.

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Kris Commons penalty propels Celtic past Spartak Moscow into last 16

Ewan Murray at Celtic Park
The Guardian, Wednesday 5 December 2012 22.04 GMT
Jump to comments (…)

Kris Commons celebrates scoring
Kris Commons, left, celebrates scoring Celtic’s second goal in their Champions League match against Spartak Moscow. Photograph: Carl Recine/Action Images

Celtic’s progress has now been endorsed by material reward. On a freezing, nervous night in Glasgow, during which the football was rarely pretty, Neil Lennon earned the finest triumph of his managerial career to date. It was entirely in keeping with Lennon’s character that his players battled as if their lives depended on victory.

Celtic were unfancied at the start of Group G but this win catapulted them into the Champions League’s knockout stage. Few could quibble over them deserving that place, with Lennon’s success all the more notable given the clubs who have already sampled elimination.

Kris Commons was the Celtic hero, with a penalty which saw off Spartak Moscow. That Spartak were probably worthy of a draw and enjoyed more possession than their hosts for long spells are irrelevant points in the grand scheme. Celtic’s qualification is worthy of immense credit.

“The players have performed a miracle,” said Lennon. “Nobody gave us a prayer in this group but we have qualified and deservedly so. This means the world to me.”

The win for Celtic ensured 10 points from a Champions League group for the first time in their history. It also, crucially, bettered Benfica’s scoreless draw in Barcelona.

Before kick-off, Celtic’s anxiety could more reasonably have stemmed from Catalonia than Glasgow. Barcelona’s team was noticeably understrength. Lionel Messi started among Tito Vilanova’s substitutes but Andrés Iniesta, Xavi Hernández, Cesc Fábregas, Javier Mascherano and Jordi Alba were absent altogether.

Lennon had to do without the influential Victor Wanyama, who was suspended, but was otherwise untroubled by issues of selection.

Of more concern to Celtic’s manager would have been the edgy start by his team, which was in tune with the stadium atmosphere. Spartak, who had nothing other than professional pride to play for amid a fruitless group campaign, used that spell to display the kind of fluency which contradicted the theory they are a club in turmoil. Still, it took 16 minutes for a goal threat of any kind. It arrived from the Russians, as Kim Kallstrom played a fine one-two with Artem Dzyuba before curling a 20-yard effort narrowly wide.

Spartak’s blunder in affording Celtic the opening goal was therefore a surprise. Georgios Samaras played merely a hopeful ball forward, which Juan Insaurralde should easily have cut out. Instead, the Argentine woefully miscued his clearance straight to the feet of Gary Hooper and the striker lashed a low shot beyond Sergei Pesyakov.

Such clinical finishing has been an admirable trait during Celtic’s European run. Heading into this game, they had a higher percentage of Champions League goals from shots on target than both Real Madrid and Barcelona. Hooper simply endorsed that statistic.

Spartak’s response was admirable given their circumstances. The impressive Emmanuel Emenike shrugged off the attentions of Beram Kayal before playing in Ari, who offered a deft chip over the onrushing Fraser Forster. Kelvin Wilson’s despairing goalline header could only help the ball into the net.

Celtic’s start to the second half was brighter than it had been in the first. Their captain, Scott Brown, miscued a decent opportunity from inside the Spartak penalty area before Samaras struck the outside of a post with a close-range volley.

That effort was immediately followed by a first, inaccurate ripple of news throughout Celtic Park suggesting Barcelona had taken the lead. The danger attached to that was that the Celtic players could take heed of misinformation and temper their now brisk play.

Spartak sought to regain some impetus by introducing Aiden McGeady, a player once of this manor. The midfielder, a purchase from Celtic two years ago, would surely have started but for a knee problem. McGeady’s guile was also the very commodity Celtic were in desperate need of with half an hour to play.

Charlie Mulgrew came within an acrobatic Pesyakov save of sending Celtic back in front. Commons had been the creator with a corner. A set-piece looked like Celtic’s best hope of a winner. And so it proved. Samaras tumbled under a challenge from Marek Suchy, in winning what was a soft penalty.

Celtic had no reason to care about that, with Commons displaying wonderful nerve to blast home the spot-kick, with some assistance from the crossbar. “I turned my back on it, I couldn’t watch,” said Lennon afterwards.

Kallstrom displayed Spartak frustration with a crazy challenge on Commons, which resulted in a second yellow card for the Swedish midfielder. Commons departed the field on a stretcher but he returned to join his team-mates in epic celebration. How Celtic had earned it.

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Manager hails players after reaching last 16

Celticfc.net
By: Mark Henderson on 05 Dec, 2012 23:25

AN elated Neil Lennon has hailed his players as miracle workers after they overcame Spartak Moscow 2-1 in Paradise to qualify for the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League.

As the pot four side in their group, few gave them a chance of progression to the latter stages but a series of magnificent performances, including a 2-1 win over Barcelona, saw the Hoops book their place in the latter stages along with the Catalan giants.

It was another dramatic evening in Paradise, with Gary Hooper´s opportunistic strike cancelled out by Ari before the break. However, Kris Commons restored Celtic´s advantage from the penalty spot in the final 10 minutes, a goal greeted by delirium in the stands.

And the Scottish champions saw out the nervy closing stages, sparking memorable scenes of celebration among the players, backroom staff and supporters.

“It means the world to me,” said the manager after the game. “Obviously I´m a young manager and this is my first year in the Champions League. So to qualify with 10 points, I´m very proud of the players. They performed a miracle. No one gave us a prayer going into this group, and we have qualified and deservedly so.

“In the first-half we didn’t play anywhere near as good as we can. In the second half I thought we had very good control of the match and deserved to win. We looked a lot better going forward and created good chances, and defensively we were a lot more solid than we were in the first half.

“We just looked a bit tentative with them in the first half and we said, ´Look lads, you have so hard to get here, go and take it,´ and they´ve done it.

It´s a privilege to manage this club,” he added. “It´s not easy at times as there is great expectations on you. Getting into this campaign was vitally important for myself and just to see where I could take it.

“We have recruited well. We have built a decent team who are young and hungry and not fazed by the financial side of it. They want to get better and they have done the club proud.

“We will enjoy it but you can only enjoy it was a manager for a few hours and then we can start thinking of Kilmarnock on Saturday.”

The strains of London Calling by The Clash were heard around Paradise at final whistle, in reference to the UEFA Champions League final being held at Wembley on May 25, 2013.

Now that they have achieved such a milestone in reaching the last 16, the Hoops boss just wants his charges to enjoy it and see what they can accomplish thereafter.

“We are there and going to enjoy it,” he said. “We want to progress as far as we can in the competition, and who knows where it can take you. The spirit is fantastic.

“We have some quality players. They have put everything into the group and they have grown as the campaign has gone on. Some of them have enhanced their reputations no end.

“As a collective they have great belief in themselves, and who knows where it can take you. We will look forward to the draw. It´s very exciting times for everyone concerned at the club. We have got something to really get our teeth into in the new year.”

The draw for the last 16 will be conducted in two weeks, on Thursday, December 20, with the fixtures scheduled for February 2013. Now the manager wants his players to start building some momentum domestically.

“The draw is on the 20th and is something to really look forward to and now I want them to concentrate on domestic duties and start finding that real consistency in the league,” he said.

“They have shown what they can do at European level. I feel a lot of them have put their focus into this campaign but now they can put that to the side for a few months and start tidying up domestic matters.”

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Super Celts reach last 16 of UEFA Champions League

Celticfc.net
By: Laura Brannan on 05 Dec, 2012 21:49

December 5, 2012
UEFA Champions League match day 6
Celtic Park

CELTIC 2
(Hooper 21, Commons 82 pen)

SPARTAK MOSCOW 1
(Ari 39)

CELTIC booked their place in the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League for the third time in their history thanks to a well-deserved 2-1 win against Spartak Moscow inside a packed Paradise.

Kris Commons struck the winning goal from the penalty spot on 82 minutes after Gary Hooper had given Celtic a first-half lead. Ari sent the sides in even at the break with an equaliser on 39 minutes but the Hoops were too strong for their Russian visitors in the second half.

Spartak Moscow were reduced to 10 men near the end, but so too were Celtic when Commons had to be stretchered off as a result of Kim Kallstrom´s late challenge. And after a tense end to the match, which saw the capacity crowd waiting nervously for the game to finish in the Nou Camp, Celtic progressed due to their 2-1 victory and the goalless draw between Barcelona and Benfica.

Neil Lennon has made several changes to the side that drew with Arbroath at the weekend, with Mikael Lustig, Efe Ambrose and Scott Brown remaining in the starting XI. Fraser Forster returned to his place between the sticks while Georgios Samaras partnered Hooper up front.

Spartak Moscow had the first real chance of the first half on 12 minutes when Ari sent a low ball into the box. Emmanuel Emenike tried to get on to the end of it but it was cleared before he could execute a shot.

At the opposite end, Celtic mounted an almost identical attack, with Charlie Mulgrew providing the cross in for Hooper. There was too much on the ball, though, and the striker couldn’t get his head to it on time.

Kallstrom saw his powerful effort go just past the post a minute later but it wasn’t long before the Hoops opened the scoring. Making a quick break, Samaras spotted the run of Hooper and threaded the ball through to him. A poor attempt at a clearance from Juan Insaurralde put the ball into the path of Hooper and he fired home a powerful, first-time shot into the net.

And the home side continued to cause problems for the Russian´s defence. From a Spartak corner, they made another break and won their own corner at the opposite end. The initial attempt was blocked but Commons followed through with the rebound, unfortunately only hitting the side-netting.

And the Hoops rued that miss on 39 minutes when Spartak drew level. Ari was given too much space on the right side of the box, and he chipped the ball over Forster. Kelvin Wilson chased it in an attempt to clear it but he could only make contact as it crossed the line.

The sides went into the break 1-1, but Celtic looked hungry as Samaras cracked the ball off the post just six minutes into the second half with a first-time volley.

Spartak Moscow were throwing all their men back into their final third, though, and it made it difficult for Celtic to break them down. Ambrose came within inches of giving Celtic the lead when he hit the side netting on 71 minutes with a header, and shortly after Mulgrew was denied by an outstanding save by Sergei Pesyakov. The outstretched keeper got his fingertips to the defender´s header from a corner.

But it wasn’t long before Celtic Park erupted again, this time when the referee, Felix Brych, awarded the home side a penalty. Samaras went down under a Marek Suchy challenge and Commons stepped up to take the spot-kick, cracking it off the underside of the bar and into the net.

And Spartak´s misery continued when they were reduced to 10 men just before stoppage time. Kallstrom was shown a second yellow for a challenge on Commons, but as he walked, the Celtic goalscorer had to also exit on a stretcher.

But when the full time whistle went in the Nou Camp, with the scoreline finishing 0-0, the celebrations quickly kicked off in Paradise. And seconds later the full time whistle sounded to confirm Celtic´s place in the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League. It is an impressive achievement from Neil Lennon and his players.

CELTIC (4-4-2): Forster; Lustig (Matthews 71), Ambrose, Wilson, Izaguirre; Commons, Brown (Ledley 85), Kayal (Lassad 73), Mulgrew; Samaras, Hooper
Subs not used: Zaluska, Rogne, Miku, Watt

SPARTAK MOSCOW (4-4-2): Pesyakov, Inssauralde, K. Kombarov, Suchy, Carioca, Jurado, Kallstrom, D. Kombarov, Ari (McGeady 61), Dyuzuba, Emenike
Subs not used: Dykan, Bryzgalov, Pareja, Yakovlev, de Zeeuw, Kozlov

Man of the Match: Kris Commons

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Commons: I didn’t know importance of penalty

By: Mark Henderson on 06 Dec, 2012 15:34
Celticfc.net

KRIS Commons has admitted he wasn’t aware of the magnitude of his successful spot kick against Spartak Moscow in last night´s tense UEFA Champions League triumph.

The attacker showed nerves of steel to smash an unstoppable penalty into the net via the underside of the bar with just eight minutes remaining in Paradise.

That restored Celtic´s advantage after Gary Hooper´s opening goal had been cancelled out by Ari, and they managed to see out the closing stages to seal a priceless victory.

Coupled with Benfica´s goal-less draw with Barcelona, it was a result which was enough to secure the Hoops´ passage to the last-16 of the tournament.

But Commonswas under the false impression thatthe Catalan giants were in frontfrom the evidence of the loud cheers that suddenly spread around the stadium early in the second half.

Had he known how much rested on his shoulders, he may have thought twice about stepping forward.

“Obviously I wouldn’t have liked it to have hit the bar – that was bit edgy!” smiled Commons. “But I wanted it straight down the middle, nice and high.

“He was a big goalkeeper so my only worry was that he was going to go down the middle that his feet might still be in the middle with him diving. So I wanted to go as high as possible without ballooning it over the bar.

“Luckily enough for me, it hit the underside of the bar. I think it went in after the bounce and into the roof of the net. My heart stopped for a millisecond and then I was able to celebrate.

“I thought Barcelona were winning anyway, so I just thought, ´smash this in, we have done our part and won but Benfica are losing anyway´.

“We got the feeling from the crowd that Barcelona had scored and then we heard them signing about Xavi, and I thought he must have scored and it was 1-0.

“When the manager brought Lassad on, I thought maybe we do need a goal here.

“Playing in that game, they were dangerous on the counter attack which they showed with the goal.

“If the draw was enough for us, then I would have been quite happy just to sit in our positions and let them keep the ball. That´s what they were doing in the second half, the goalkeeper and back-four were keeping it. And we didn’t feel we had to go and press them, force the issue and try and get a goal.

“We were in the frame of mind, they are keeping it, happy days, we just need a point and we are through.

“I could sense this anxiousness about the fans being a big edgy and with the manager showing a willingness to get a goal and then with Lassad coming on, I then thought maybe we do need a goal.

“But I thought someone from the sidelines would have said something, so taking the penalty I had no idea what the consequences were – I would have probably passed it to Lassad!

“I scored the penalty against St Johnstone so if you score your last one, you have a great shout of getting the next one. Lassad said, ´do you want me to take it´, I said, ´no, I will put my foot through the ball and smash it in´.”

Reaching the last-16 is a magnificent achievement for Neil Lennon and his players, and something few gave them a chance of doing at the outset of the group stages when Barcelona, Benfica and Spartak Moscow were drawn alongside them.

However, Commons insisted he and the rest of the dressing room always had a belief they could progress.

“I can remember doing an interview before the first game against Benfica and I did say we wanted to progress into the last-16 and qualify from this group,” he said.

“There were a few smiles and sniggers. But in the dressing room we were quietly confident, especially with our home form, we could give anyone a game on our day. We knew we had a good, young squad who were hungry to succeed and I think we feel have proved a lot of people wrong

“The turning point was the game in the Nou Camp. We proved we could defend so resiliently for 94 minutes and if we had done it for 94-and-a-half minutes, we would have got the point we deserved.

“That turned a few peoples´ heads. Then winning 2-1 against Barcelona at home put us in a great position to qualify.

“I don´t think it´s truly sank in yet – the achievement and proving all the doubters wrong,” he added. “But looking back on the TV last night and how we played and how the fans were, it was a massive boost for us and puts us in good stead for the new year now.”

Just minutes after scoring the winning goal, Commons was forced from the fray on a stretcher following a reckless tackle from Kim Kallstrom.

The Swedish midfielder received a second yellow card and his marching orders, and with Celtic having made all their substitutes, both sides ended the game with 10 men apiece.

It made the celebrations at the final whistle slightly surreal for the Scottish internationalist as he sat receiving treatment in a separate room as his team-mates danced for joy.

“I wasn’t in there too long anyway,” he said. “I was lying there and they were wanting to know if I wanted an ambulance, x-rays and bits and bobs. By the time, I had five minutes worth of ice, they were back in and it sounded like a nightclub in the dressing room.

“The injury isjust a dead leg. It was kind of surreal. From the Barcelona game when everyone was bouncing around in the changing room loving the fact we had beaten possibly the best team in the world, and then we finally qualify for the last-16 and I was in a room on my own, strapped up with a splint on my leg. It was a bit surreal but it´s sinking in now.”

Celtic now have two weeks to anticipate the draw for the latter stages with the likes of Juventus, Manchester United, Paris-St Germain, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund possible opponents.

And while he doesn’t fear anyone, Commons´ preference would be a ´Battle of Britain´ encounter.

“On our day we can beat anyone and we have proved that, not only in the SPL, the cup but on the European stage against top sides.” he said. “On our day, I don´t think anyone will fancy coming to Celtic Park, with our fans and the way we approach games and how we set up to win.

“It´s going to be a tough draw whoever it is. There are a few really top sides who would take anyone´s fancy, but being a boy from down south, I would like to play Man United.

“I have played them a couple of times but being a Man United fan as a kid, so for me, to get the chance to play against that club and in that stadium again, would be a dream come true.”

BBC

By Alasdair Lamont BBC Scotland
Comments (137)

Celtic clinched a place in the knock-out phase of the Champions League with a dramatic win over Spartak Moscow.

Gary Hooper pounced on a defensive error to give them the upper hand, but Ari equalised with a deft finish.

With time running out, Georgios Samaras won a penalty, which was rifled in off the bar by Kris Commons.

Commons was carried off on a stretcher following a foul by Kim Kallstrom that earned the Swede a second yellow card, but Celtic claimed the win they needed.
Play media

Celtic players performed miracle – Lennon

That, coupled with Benfica’s inability to beat Barcelona, ensured Celtic progressed beyond the group stage for the third time.

And it completed a glorious group campaign during which the team that started as fourth seeds recorded a famous win over the Spanish giants viewed by many as the best team in the world.

After a joyous Celtic Park erupted at the final whistle, a visibly moved Neil Lennon described his side’s progress as a “momentous achievement”.

It was, at times, a nervous encounter against Spartak and the visitors settled quicker, knowing they had a lot less riding on the outcome than their hosts, who began tentatively.

Indeed, goalkeeper Fraser Forster found himself scrambling to his right following a nice one-two between Kallstrom and Jose Manuel Jurado, but the Swede’s placed shot crept just wide.

Celtic forced a couple of corners, but the opening goal arrived almost without warning.

Juan Insaurralde miskicked as he attempted to cut out Samaras’s pass, allowing Hooper a sight of goal and that was all the striker required as he hammered it low past Sergei Pesyakov.

Spartak continued to play some nice football, Emmanuel Emenike looking menacing, but for all that, Forster was having a comfortable evening.

And there was almost greater comfort for the home fans on 32 minutes, when the ball broke to Commons at the edge of the box, but his shot flew a yard wide.

Celtic, by this stage, were snapping into tackles, with Scott Brown in inspirational form, but when the captain was loose with a pass on the edge of the Russian penalty area, there was a high price to pay.

Spartak broke upfield with great pace, and Emenike slipped away from three Celtic players before playing in Ari, who finished the move off with a cute chip over Forster.

The unease returned to Celtic Park, though the beginning of the second half brought fresh impetus from Lennon’s side, with Samaras clipping the outside of Pesyakov’s post from a Mikael Lustig cross.
Celtic’s campaign continues

This is the third time Celtic have reached the last 16 of the Champions League
Celtic finish second in Group G behind Barcelona
Lennon’s men could face Manchester United, PSG, Schalke, Malaga, Borussia Dortmund, Juventus or Bayern Munich in last 16

Former Celtic winger Aiden McGeady made his entrance from the Spartak bench to warm applause from the home crowd.

However, Spartak were less composed during the second period and Celtic, sensing they had the initiative, went close through Commons and Efe Ambrose.

With 12 minutes remaining, it looked as though Celtic had the goal they required.

Commons swung in a corner from the left, Charlie Mulgrew rose to head towards the top corner, but Pesyakov threw himself at it and somehow flipped the ball over the bar.

Celtic continued to press and, when Samaras collected the ball inside the penalty area, Marek Suchy challenged him clumsily and referee Felix Brych pointed to the penalty spot.

Commons stepped up and blasted the ball in off the underside of the bar to put Celtic on the brink of qualification.

Both sides were reduced to 10 men as Commons was carried off following Kallstrom’s tackle, the Spartak man following him from the field after his second booking.

However, it had no bearing on the outcome as Celtic saw out the final minutes, sparking jubilation at the final whistle.

Live Text Commentary
90:00 +5:07 Full time

Full Time The referee ends the match.
90:00 +4:06

Aiden McGeady concedes a free kick for a foul on Georgios Samaras. Georgios Samaras takes the direct free kick.
90:00 +3:24

Free kick awarded for a foul by Dmitri Kombarov on Georgios Samaras. Kris Commons restarts play with the free kick.
90:00 +2:39

Charlie Mulgrew takes a short corner.
90:00 +2:26

Short corner taken by Georgios Samaras.
90:00 +0:54

Free kick awarded for a foul by Georgios Samaras on Dmitri Kombarov. Dmitri Kombarov takes the direct free kick.
90:00 +0:54

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Dmitri Kombarov by Georgios Samaras. Marek Suchy restarts play with the free kick.
87:58

Efe Ambrose takes the direct free kick.
87:58 Dismissal

Dismissal Kim Kallstrom shown a red card for second bookable offence.
87:32

Foul by Kim Kallstrom on Kris Commons, free kick awarded.
86:45

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Dmitri Kombarov by Kris Commons. Direct free kick taken by Sergei Pesiakov.
85:58 Booking

Booking Aiden McGeady is given a yellow card.
85:51

Free kick awarded for a foul by Aiden McGeady on Georgios Samaras. Free kick crossed by Charlie Mulgrew, Emilio Izaguirre manages to make a clearance.
82:55

Charlie Mulgrew takes the direct free kick.
82:55 Substitution

Substitution Scott Brown goes off and Joe Ledley comes on.
82:55

Free kick awarded for a foul by Kim Kallstrom on Scott Brown.
81:29

Assist by Georgios Samaras.
81:29 Goal scored

Goal – Kris Commons – Celtic 2 – 1 Sp Moscow Power penalty scored by Kris Commons. Celtic 2-1 Spartak Moscow.
80:28

Marek Suchy challenges Georgios Samaras unfairly and gives away a Penalty.
79:01

Pereira Rafael Carioca fouled by Charlie Mulgrew, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick taken by Pereira Rafael Carioca.
78:32

Emmanuel Emenike takes a shot. Save by Fraser Forster.
77:01

Outswinging corner taken by Kris Commons, Charlie Mulgrew takes a shot. Sergei Pesiakov makes a save. Short corner taken by Kris Commons from the right by-line.
76:23

The referee penalises Artem Dzjuba for handball. Direct free kick taken by Fraser Forster.
74:45

Free kick taken by Kris Commons.
74:45 Booking

Booking Dmitri Kombarov goes into the referee’s book for unsporting behaviour.
74:37

Dmitri Kombarov gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Kelvin Wilson.
72:40 Substitution

Substitution Lassad Nouioui on for Beram Kayal.
70:57

Outswinging corner taken by Charlie Mulgrew from the left by-line. Kris Commons takes a shot. Blocked by Juan Insaurralde. Outswinging corner taken by Charlie Mulgrew from the left by-line, Efe Ambrose has a headed effort at goal from deep inside the area missing to the left of the target.
70:57 Substitution

Substitution Adam Matthews on for Mikael Lustig.
66:30

Unfair challenge on Beram Kayal by Kirill Kombarov results in a free kick. Kelvin Wilson takes the direct free kick.
65:16

Kris Commons takes the inswinging corner, comfortable save by Sergei Pesiakov.
64:31

Shot from 20 yards by Emmanuel Emenike. Blocked by Kelvin Wilson.
62:24

Georgios Samaras is penalised for a handball. Kirill Kombarov takes the free kick.
61:31

Jose Manuel Jurado takes a shot. Save made by Fraser Forster.
60:55 Substitution

Substitution Ferreira Ari leaves the field to be replaced by Aiden McGeady.
58:19

Dmitri Kombarov challenges Kris Commons unfairly and gives away a free kick. Kris Commons delivers the ball from the free kick left-footed from right wing, clearance by Juan Insaurralde.
57:36

Artem Dzjuba fouled by Beram Kayal, the ref awards a free kick. Kirill Kombarov restarts play with the free kick.
56:39

Efe Ambrose restarts play with the free kick.
56:39 Booking

Booking Kim Kallstrom receives a yellow card for unsporting behaviour.
56:26

Foul by Kim Kallstrom on Kris Commons, free kick awarded.
55:49

Gary Hooper takes a shot. Save made by Sergei Pesiakov.
55:31

Unfair challenge on Gary Hooper by Marek Suchy results in a free kick. Gary Hooper takes the free kick.
51:47

Pereira Rafael Carioca restarts play with the free kick.
51:47 Booking

Booking The referee shows Mikael Lustig a yellow card.
51:24

Unfair challenge on Kim Kallstrom by Mikael Lustig results in a free kick.
50:29

Georgios Samaras has an effort at goal from deep inside the penalty area that bounces off the post.
49:31

Free kick awarded for a foul by Emmanuel Emenike on Efe Ambrose. Fraser Forster takes the direct free kick.
48:56

Kris Commons takes the chance to get an effort at goal. Juan Insaurralde gets a block in.
47:54

Scott Brown takes a shot. Sergei Pesiakov makes a comfortable save.
47:24

Handball by Dmitri Kombarov. Fraser Forster restarts play with the free kick.
46:18

Dmitri Kombarov concedes a free kick for a foul on Scott Brown. Charlie Mulgrew delivers the ball from the free kick left-footed from right wing, Juan Insaurralde manages to make a clearance.
45:33

Emmanuel Emenike is ruled offside. Fraser Forster takes the indirect free kick.
45:01

The referee starts the second half.
45:00 +0:59 Half time

Half Time The players leave the pitch at half time.
45:00 +0:18

Marek Suchy challenges Georgios Samaras unfairly and gives away a free kick. Charlie Mulgrew takes the free kick.
44:23

Kirill Kombarov concedes a free kick for a foul on Charlie Mulgrew. Charlie Mulgrew takes the direct free kick.
43:59

The official flags Artem Dzjuba offside. Direct free kick taken by Fraser Forster.
41:50

Free kick taken by Pereira Rafael Carioca.
41:50 Booking

Booking Beram Kayal receives a caution.
41:39

Beram Kayal challenges Pereira Rafael Carioca unfairly and gives away a free kick.
41:17

Corner taken by Charlie Mulgrew, comfortable save by Sergei Pesiakov.
38:53

The assist for the goal came from Emmanuel Emenike.
38:53 Goal scored

Goal – Ferreira Ari – Celtic 1 – 1 Sp Moscow A goal is scored by Ferreira Ari from inside the area high into the middle of the goal. Celtic 1-1 Spartak Moscow.
37:28

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Emmanuel Emenike by Scott Brown. The free kick is swung in left-footed by Kim Kallstrom, comfortable save by Fraser Forster.
35:55

Beram Kayal gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Jose Manuel Jurado. Free kick taken by Jose Manuel Jurado.
35:55

Unfair challenge on Pereira Rafael Carioca by Beram Kayal results in a free kick. Pereira Rafael Carioca takes the direct free kick.
35:15

Scott Brown produces a curled right-footed shot from 18 yards. Save made by Sergei Pesiakov.
32:24

Gary Hooper challenges Juan Insaurralde unfairly and gives away a free kick. Juan Insaurralde takes the direct free kick.
31:00

Inswinging corner taken left-footed by Charlie Mulgrew from the left by-line, Kris Commons has an effort at goal from just inside the box that misses to the left of the goal.
30:04

Emmanuel Emenike takes a shot. Blocked by Kelvin Wilson. Outswinging corner taken by Ferreira Ari.
28:49

Foul by Artem Dzjuba on Efe Ambrose, free kick awarded. Charlie Mulgrew takes the direct free kick.
28:49

Free kick awarded for a foul by Artem Dzjuba on Efe Ambrose. Free kick taken by Kris Commons.
28:03

Ferreira Ari concedes a free kick for a foul on Charlie Mulgrew. Fraser Forster takes the direct free kick.
22:14

Emmanuel Emenike produces a right-footed shot from just outside the box that misses to the right of the net.
20:37

Assist by Georgios Samaras.
20:37 Goal scored

Goal – Gary Hooper – Celtic 1 – 0 Sp Moscow Gary Hooper fires in a goal from just outside the penalty area to the bottom right corner of the goal. Celtic 1-0 Spartak Moscow.
19:44

Inswinging corner taken by Charlie Mulgrew from the right by-line, save made by Sergei Pesiakov.
18:51

Inswinging corner taken left-footed by Charlie Mulgrew from the right by-line, Sergei Pesiakov makes a save.
16:31

Effort on goal by Emmanuel Emenike from just inside the area clears the bar.
15:53

Effort from the edge of the box by Kim Kallstrom goes wide of the left-hand post.
15:53

Pereira Rafael Carioca has an effort from just inside the box that misses to the left of the goal.
13:29

Unfair challenge on Scott Brown by Marek Suchy results in a free kick. Charlie Mulgrew restarts play with the free kick.
13:18

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Kim Kallstrom by Charlie Mulgrew. Direct free kick taken by Sergei Pesiakov.
12:30

The offside flag is raised against Emmanuel Emenike. Fraser Forster takes the free kick.
9:33

Dmitri Kombarov gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Gary Hooper. Mikael Lustig takes the direct free kick.
8:36

Kirill Kombarov is penalised for handball and concedes a free kick. Free kick crossed by Charlie Mulgrew, clearance by Marek Suchy.
8:10

Mikael Lustig produces a cross, save made by Sergei Pesiakov.
4:23

Unfair challenge on Georgios Samaras by Juan Insaurralde results in a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Efe Ambrose.
4:23

Juan Insaurralde gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Georgios Samaras. Free kick taken by Mikael Lustig.
3:44

Foul by Ferreira Ari on Gary Hooper, free kick awarded. Kelvin Wilson restarts play with the free kick.
2:51

Foul by Kirill Kombarov on Georgios Samaras, free kick awarded. Free kick crossed left-footed by Charlie Mulgrew from left wing, Juan Insaurralde makes a clearance.
2:09

Kirill Kombarov takes a shot from a long way out clearing the bar.
1:32

Kris Commons concedes a free kick for a foul on Jose Manuel Jurado. Kim Kallstrom restarts play with the free kick.
0:00

The match has kicked off.

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