Neil Lennon's dreams of managing Celtic in the group phase of the Champions League for the first time remain alive. However, it took a recovery from a goal down to HJK Helsinki to hand the Scottish champions an advantage for the visit to Finland. That lead is a valuable one, notwithstanding Celtic's notoriously bad recent European away record.
Celtic undoubtedly merited their victory from this entertaining, at times breathless contest. Lennon will now hope some glaring early profligacy does not come back to haunt Celtic by the end of the second leg of this qualifying tie.
"I am not disappointed at all, I'm delighted," Lennon insisted of the narrow Celtic lead. "It was a huge improvement from where we were at this stage last year. Helsinki can count themselves fortunate it was only 2-1.
"We went a goal behind, then showed brilliant character. For our first competitive game, it was an excellent performance."
European football has always been important to Celtic. With no Rangers in Scotland's top flight, Celtic are virtually certain to enjoy a smooth passage towards a second league title in succession; the opportunity to compete in the Champions League proper would generate fresh excitement in Glasgow's east end.
Celtic duly started as if the pursuit of a group stage place was of serious significance to them. Charlie Mulgrew, James Forrest and Gary Hooper all spurned excellent opportunities for the hosts within the first 15 minutes. In his defence, Forrest may well have been pushed in the back before failing to divert a close-range header on target.
Such wastefulness can routinely be punished by foreign opponents. Helsinki duly closed the first half in a more impressive fashion than they had started it, with Fraser Forster diving smartly to turn away a Joel Perovuo drive. Earlier, Adam Matthews had provided a crucial last-ditch block on the Finns' Demba Savage.
The visitors' hints at away goal intent were realised just 120 seconds after the restart. An initial shot from Rasmus Schuller was blocked but the ball ricocheted back to the Helsinki midfielder. With Forster stranded, Schuller stroked home to shock an earlier vociferous home support.
Celtic are due credit for their swift response. Kris Commons rattled a post from 25 yards, before Hooper levelled. Georgios Samaras, who had endured a troubled night until that point, created the goal with a terrific low pass which Hooper cleanly converted.
Mulgrew headed a Commons corner past Ville Wallen to edge Celtic in front. At that juncture, the home side were in complete control.
Scott Brown came the closest to securing a Celtic cushion, but watched his angled drive deflected narrowly wide. Attention now turns to Celtic's ability to withstand inevitable pressure in the Finnish capital.
