Celtic progress after scare

Celtic lost 2-0 to Hapoel Be’er Sheva in the second leg of their Champions League play-off, but still qualified for the group stages 5-4 on aggregate on Tuesday night.

The visitors were made to sweat for their place in the hat for Thursday’s draw after going behind to Ben Sahar’s first-half header, just seconds after the former Chelsea forward had come on as a substitute.

Celtic’s nerves were really tested, though, when Ovidiu Hoban doubled the home side’s lead just after half-time, meaning Hapoel Be’er Sheva needed just one more goal to win the tie on away goals.

But the Scottish champions held on, but they were grateful to goalkeeper Craig Gordon, who was badly at fault for Hapoel’s second goal, for keeping out Maharan Radi’s penalty on the quarter-hour mark.

Celtic centre-back Mikael Lustig, who missed Saturday’s victory at St Johnstone with an ankle injury sustained in the first leg against Hapoel, returned to the visitors’ defence.

Meanwhile, winger Patrick Roberts was also back after a three-week absence with a hamstring problem, although he was only fit enough for a place on the bench.

However, if Celtic’s pre-match aim was to keep the crowd at the Turner Stadium quiet in the opening exchanges, then they failed …

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