100% Biased Opinions On Celtic v Benfica LIVE!!!

18.37 - The Celtic team has just been announced.
Forster; Matthews, Lustig, Wilson, Izaguirre; Forrest, Brown, Wanyama, Mulgrew; Commons, Miku
Subs : Zaluska, Rogne, Watt, Lassad, Ambrose, Slane, Hooper.

18.47 - Have to be honest and say that team news has made me a little more worried about tonight's game.  I imagine it will be a 4-4-1-1.  I never saw the game on Saturday so have yet to see much of Miku but I was hoping to see Hooper up front.  The back fours not the strongest either.  To be fair we are struggling with injuries and there's not much I'd change.  The midfield look's good.  Benfica won't get it easy in there tonight.

19.24 - Going to "try" to post a few videos to set the mood.  C'mon the Hoops!

19.28 - Celtic and Benfica were drawn in the group stages two years in a row in 2006/07 and 2007/08.  All four games ended in home wins.  Any Hoops fans happy for that to continue for tonight at least?

19.33 - My favourite Celtic Champions League moment...

19.38 - It's that time again...

19.42 - Great to see wee Brown lead the team out onto the big stage once again.  C'mon the Hoops!  Hail! Hail!

19.45 - Celtic get the game underway...

1' Kris Commons tries an audacious chip from 30 yards which goes over the bar.

2' Chance for Celtic.  Miku lays back for Commons but his shot is blocked.  That was a good chance.

4' Benfica clear a Mulgrew cross for a corner.  The corner is headed out for another corner and it leads to another Celtic chance.  Wanyama gets his head on it but Benfica manage to clear.

6' Benfica have a free-kick in a good position but Aimar overhits it, goal kick to Celtic.

11' The game has settled down a bit but Celtic still look the better side.

15' Very little happening so far.  Benfica look sloppy and have made a few unforced errors.

15' Lustig clears a Benfica cross for a corner.  The corner is played short but Salvio hits it high and wide.

17' Matthews makes a tackle and the ball goes out for another corner, it comes to nothing though.  Benfica getting more into this.

21' YELLOW CARD - Victor Wanyama booked for pulling back a Benfica player on the break.

23' Celtic are starting to resort to long ball tactics and it's not working so far.  They need to get the ball into the feet of Forrest and Commons.

26' Better from Celtic, Miku and Commons link up well with a one two but Miku can't find a Celtic player with his cross.

27' Lustig puts the ball out for another corner for Benfica, once again it's worked short but Celtic win the ball back.

32' Chance for Benfica, Rodrigo gets behind the Celtic defence but Forster closes the angle quickly and gets an arm to the ball and it's cleared by the defence.

34' YELLOW CARD - Izaguirre booked after a rash tackle outside the corner of the box.  Perez shoots over the bar after the free kick is cleared.

38' Izaguirre caught in possession but Celtic get away with it as Salvio is offside from the pass.

40' Miku wins a corner for Celtic but it comes to nothing.

45' No added time and it's half time.

HALF TIME REPORT - Not a great first half from Celtic but not a bad one either.  Truth be told it's been a poor game and neither side deserves to be ahead.  I'd like to see a bit more from Celtic in the second half as I can't help but think this Benfica team are there for the taking.  C'mon Celtic!

46' Second half underway.

47' YELLOW CARD - Matic of Benfica goes into the book after a challenge on Miku.

50' Mulgrew closes down a shot, corner to Benfica but Celtic win a free-kick.

53' Forrest does well down the right to beat his marker but his cross doesn't beat the first man.

54' Salvio fouls Izaguirre down the left, free-kick in a dangerous position.  Keeper punches as far as Matthews and his shot is deflected for a corner.  Lustig heads wide from the corner.

56' Dodgy defending from Kelvin Wilson.  He lets a long ball bounce and is pressured into giveing away a throw in.

57' YELLOW CARD - Aimar booked for a challenge on Wanyama.

61' Celtic get lucky as Benfica waste a great break.  Aimar, Rodrigo and Gaitan are involved and Brown blocks Gaitan's shot.

62' Forster does well to save from Garay's diving header. 

63' SUB - Cardozo on for Aimar for Benfica.  Rogne on for Lustig for Celtic.

65' Commons does well down the left and fires in a cross which is mishit but goes to the keeper.

66' SUB - Hooper on for Izaguirre for Celtic.  Mulgrew to left back, Commons to left mid and Hooper up top.

68' Celtic camped in Benfica box, pushing for a goal.

69' Commons hit's a weak shot wide from outside the box.

70' SUB - Bruno Cesar on for Rodrigo.

71' Salvio drives a shot from distance over the bar.

74' Bruno Cesar hits an audacious shot from 30-35 yards but it goes over the bar.  Good strike.

75' Rogne does well to block a Gaitan shot.

75' Commons sees the keeper off his line and shoots from halfway, keeper gets back to save it.

77' Lucky there, a throw in misses everyone and goes right across the Celtic goal but nobody gets on the nd of it.

79' Celtic pressing now and have a corner but the keeper is fouled and it's a free to Benfica.

81' Forrest goes down in the box but looks like he tripped over his own feet

82' SUB - Nolito on for Gaitan.

87' Benfica had two corners in quick succession and it ends with Cardozo heading over.

89' YELLOW CARD - Brown goes in the book.

90' 3 mins added on

91' YELLOW CARD - Bruno Cesar fouls Scott Brown.

92' Brown wins a ball in midfield and releases Miku but he can't find a hooped jersey

93' Ref blows the final whistle and it finishes 0-0. 

FULL-TIME REPORT - I can't help but feel that's two points dropped.  If we had our full team available I think we'd have won that.  Benfica rarely troubled us but we didn't create a lot ourselves.  A point isn't the worst start but it means we'll need to pick up some results away and probably need to take points off Barcelona. 

MAN OF THE MATCH - Scott Brown and by quite some distance.  The skipper was everywhere tonight and he seemed to be getting under the skin of the Benfica side as they reacted a few times to, hard but fair tackles.