New Delhi: Celtic welcomed Arsenal to Glasgow with the huge prize of Champions League qualification at stake in a crucial tie for both sides.
Tony Mowbray made changes for the game bringing in Georgios Samaras up front whilst the Gunners, unsurprisingly, kept faith with the same XI that thrashed Everton at the weekend.
The first half was as frenetic and hard-fought as most had predicted before kick-off with both sides looking confident in possession.
Yet ultimately goalscoring chances were thin on the ground although Arsenal did have the ball in the net after just 12 minutes.
Some smart and incisive passing between Andrey Arshavin and Cesc Fabregas worked the ball into the Celtic area where Robin van Persie’s shot was blocked.
However, the ball fell directly into Arshavin’s path who finished past Artur Boruc only to be denied, correctly, by the assistant referee’s offside flag.
There was a sense that Arsenal were slowly warming to their task but Celtic had chances of their own and mid-way through the first half with a great break that almost reaped rewards.
Aiden McGeady was the man to instigate the danger, breaking at pace down the left before crossing for Brown in the box.
However, the midfielder was to be denied by a superb challenge by Thomas Vermaelen who ran virtually the length of the pitch to make a saving tackle.
Brown went one closer shortly afterwards, forcing Almunia into making his first stop of the game.
A good run by Hinkel saw him cross for Maloney but his shot was blocked. Instead, the ball fell to Brown who fired straight at a diving Almunia.
The game looked to be heading to the interval still deadlocked, however minutes before the break the home side were dealt an agonising blow.
A free-kick from distance was fired goalwards by Fabregas which Boruc looked to have covered.
However, the ball took a vicious deflection off William Gallas and completely wrong-footed the stopper to hand the visitors a fortunate lead.
The home side must have felt aggrieved to be behind after a strong first half showing however they nearly lost further ground within minutes of the restart.
Some strong running by Arshavin found Van Persie but his strike across goal was off-target and Celtic survived.
Moments later, however, and Wenger’s men went even closer with Denilson having time and space to try and curl a shot on the edge of the box but, unlike at Goodison Park on Saturday, the Brazilian couldn’t find the back of the net.
With the Gunners beginning to click into gear and threatening to put the game out of reach manager Mowbray responded with a double substitution sending on Scott MacDonald and Marc-Antoine Fortune.
Yet it was to be to no avail as with 20 minutes of the game remaining, the Gunners put one foot into the next round.
Substitute Abou Diaby did superbly to beat Hinkel before feeding Clichy down the left flank.
The full back then delivered a devilish cross which Caldwell attempted to deflect wide and simply managed to put past his own goalkeeper.
With the game all but gone, the home side made one last change bringing on McCourt but to no avail and it will take an almighty effort now for the Hoops to deny Arsenal another season of Champions League football.
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