Celtic win but crash out

The Greek striker rose imperiously to head the hosts into the lead in the 23nd minute, before Robson added a second with an exquisite free kick midway through the second half to secure victory.

Eli Gutman's side were not able to muster a response as Celtic preserved their two-goal lead and, as a result of their first win, leapfrog Rapid Vienna who lost 2-0 to Hamburg in the group's other fixture, but crash out of the competition regardless.

The visitors offered very little in the way of urgency after they fell behind, and Tony Mowbray's side were not unduly troubled in a pretty drab second half as they closed out victory in an assured and clinical fashion.

It proved to be no more than a consolation played out in front of a half full Celtic Park that was more subdued than on most European occasions as Hamburg and Hapoel were left to slug it out for the top spot in the final game in Israel.

Artur Boruc was available for selection but Mowbray opted to persevere with Lukasz Zaluska as the 29-year-old was confined to the substitutes' bench, but his compatriot had very little to do as Celtic repelled the visitors' infrequent advances.

Scott McDonald hussled and harried superbly for the hosts, along with Samaras, and the Australian wheeled away in celebration after slotting home from close range in the third minute, before the offside flag brought an abrupt end to his jubilation.

McDonald then stole in at the back post in the 19th minute to meet an incisive through ball from Samaras, but his shot was excellently blocked by Dani Bondarv.

But four minutes later, the Hapoel goal was breached as Aiden McGeady produced one of his mesmerising runs down the left before the winger dinked across a delightful cross which Samaras met with an assured finish to open the scoring.

Samaras then proceeded to hit the post in the 34th minute as McDonald rounded the hapless Vincent Enyeama and laid the ball off to his strike partner who, with the ball behind him, back-heeled the ball towards goal only to see it deflected on to the post by the back-peddling Bondarv.

Hapoel made two substitutions at half-time as Gutman looked to inject some energy into his rather lethargic side, but Celtic kept their shape and defended stoutly to keep the visitors at bay.

The second half was a scrappy affair but one moment of brilliance from Robson gave the hosts a two-goal cushion and a commanding position in the match.

The midfielder curled a sublime free-kick into the far corner of Enyeama's net in the 68th minute after Badir had cynically brought down substitute Marc-Antoine Fortune 25 yards out.

Hapoel made only very fleeting appearances into the Celtic box, but the best opportunity fell to Da Silva Douglas, who bustled his way into the hosts' penalty area, but was unconvincing as he dallied to let Andreas Hinkel steal in and dispossess him.

McDonald was equally profligate as he inexplicably sliced his shot wide after the striker was presented with a near-open goal as Enyeama desperately scrambled across his line, but the chance was squandered.

No matter, Celtic cruised through the final 10 minutes to seal a comfortable win but Mowbray's side's efforts on the night were in vain as they fail progress through to the knock-out stage.