Classy Arsenal beat unlucky Celtic

Two moments of misfortune cost Celtic dearly as Arsenal won 2-0 at Parkhead here Tuesday to leave the Hoops’ chances of joining the Champions League group stages hanging by a thread.

Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas’ free-kick took a wild deflection off William Gallas to give the Gunners a half-time lead before Gary Caldwell knocked Gael Clichy’s cross past his own keeper to secure an impressive away victory.

Arsene Wegner’s side are now overwhelming favourites as they take a healthy lead to London for the second leg of this play-off tie at the Emirates Stadium in two weeks time as Tony Mowbray’s side went down to their second successive home European defeat.

After his goal-scoring heroics against Dynamo Moscow Georgios Samaras was favoured up front with new signing Marc-Antoine Fortune dropping to the bench while Wenger stuck with the starting line-up that demolished Everton 6-1 on Saturday.

In a match with so much at stake for both sides there was a lively start with Daniel Fox twice providing a decent delivery in to the box from the left wing early on.

Some slackness in defence almost cost Celtic when Artur Boruc had to be quick to react to stop Arsenal captain Fabregas intercepting a soft Fox pass back.

At the other end Caldwell’s looping header from Fox’s corner was never in danger of testing Manuel Almunia as it sailed over the bar.

The warning signs were there for Celtic when Andrei Arshavin had the ball in the net in the 12th minute.

Some slick passing at the edge of the box culminated in Robin van Persie’s deflected shot landing at Arshavin’s feet but the flag was already up for offside as the Russian drilled his effort home.

Celtic were a constant threat on the counter-attack with wingmen Aiden McGeady and Shaun Maloney utilising their pace to break quickly. And the pair combined well in the 19th minute when Maloney released McGeady down the left to go on a marauding run.

The Irishman beat three Arsenal players before electing to cross to Scott Brown in the box who went down heavily under the challenge of Thomas Vermaelen as he volleyed wide but referee Massimo Busacca waved away the Celtic player’s penalty claims.

The pace of the game didn’t drop but despite this it wasn’t until the final five minutes of the half that the keepers were called into action.

Polish keeper Boruc was equal to Arshavin’s long-range effort before Almunia did well to hold on to Brown’s spinning shot from the edge of the box.

With the teams deadlocked it was always going to take a piece of skill or luck to break the deadlock. And that moment came two minutes before the break when Arsenal took the lead.

A free-kick at the edge of the box was played short to Fabregas and his well drilled effort took a wicked deflection off the back of Gallas as he ran across the area, the ball completely bamboozling Boruc and flying into the bottom corner of the net.

Arsenal began the second-half with an attacking onslaught with van Persie and Denilson both sending shots just wide of Boruc’s post in the first three minutes.

Mowbray decided to change his attacking line-up ten minutes in with Australian Scott McDonald and Fortune replacing Samaras and Massimo Donati.

But it was an Arsenal substitution which made a greater impact. Abou Diaby replaced Arshavin in the 70th minute and the substitute made an instant impression.

The Frenchman beat his man in midfield before sending Gael Clichy racing down the left and the unfortunate Caldwell stuck a leg out to send his cross past his own keeper.