Celtic are out of the UEFA Champions League despite a 2-1 second leg success over Portuguese outfit Braga at Parkhead.
Improved second half too little too late for Celtic
Celtic are out of the UEFA Champions League despite a 2-1 second leg success over Portuguese outfit Braga at Parkhead.
After losing the first leg of their third round qualifier 3-0 in Portugal they were always up against it and things got even worse when Paulo Cesar headed home past Lukasz Zaluska in the first half.
Celtic raised their game after half time and levelled the contest on 51 minutes when summer signing Gary Hooper was well placed to turn home substitute Marc-Antoine Fortune's cross.
However, the close-range effort was unable to provide the avalanche of goals Neil Lennon's side so desperately needed.
They did restore a little more pride late on when summer signing Efrain Juarez guided home Georgios Samaras' cross to ensure success on the night.
With playmaker Aiden McGeady considering a move to Spartak Moscow, Celtic started with Shaun Maloney and Mexico ace Juarez out wide.
They twice threatened from inswinging corners by left-back Charlie Mulgrew in the opening stages.
However Samaras glanced his header wide from the first and the second broke to Joe Ledley, who sliced over from 16 yards.
Away goal
But the early pressure soon dissipated and Celtic's task, already tough, grew even more difficult when Braga snatched an away goal in the 21st minute.
Alan was allowed room to cross from the right and Cesar ran across Cha Du-ri before glancing a header beyond the outstretched arm of Zaluska and inside the post.
The away goal left Celtic needing five to progress but one was looking unlikely as they struggled to break their visitors down.
Samaras stretched his leg towards a Juarez cross but could not turn it on target and Celtic almost fell further behind when they were exposed down their left side.
Brazilian Matheus got away from Jos Hooiveld but Zaluska narrowed the angle and blocked at his near post.
Hooiveld was beaten for pace on another break and was booked for pulling back Paulo Cesar as Celtic limped towards half-time.
Mulgrew was taken off after struggling in the first period with Ledley moving to left-back and Fortune coming on.
Leveller
Cesar played a poor ball across goal as Celtic were outnumbered on the counter-attack and the reprieve was soon followed by a 51st-minute leveller.
Fortune's power and skill won him space on the right side of the box and his excellent low cross was bundled home by Hooper.
The goal lifted the crowd and the team but they soon needed a saving tackle by Cha to prevent Leandro Salina converting after a back-post cross.
Maloney limped off in the 65th minute with former Sunderland forward Daryl Murphy coming on.
Celtic needed to follow up Hooper's goal quickly to put Braga under any sort of pressure but they failed to produce any sustained attacking sequences.
Samaras curled a 20-yard free-kick just wide and then headed a Juarez free-kick just beyond the post, but Zaluska was forced into a smart parry to deny Elderson's powerful shot from the left channel.
Celtic went ahead in the 79th minute when Juarez's deft header flashed in following an inswinging cross by Samaras.
They pushed Braga back for the remainder of the tie but could not threaten again as their Champions League campaign ended at the qualifying stage for the second season running.
