Soccer/Champions' League/Celtic 2; Lyon 0:  Celtic are up and running and while they display this endeavour, intelligence and vivacity, talk of Martin O'Neill departing seems like so much flannel.

Two goals in eight rousing second-half minutes were enough to blunt Lyon's hitherto spirited resolve - and this after Alan Thompson had a 41st-minute penalty saved by Gregory Coupet.

That could have flattened a team but not Celtic.

Liam Miller, a young man whose bright career prospects have been blighted by one injury after another over the past three years, came off the bench to nod in the first and Chris Sutton, a more familiar scorer, headed in the second.

Each goal was supplied by Henrik Larsson, whom the French had unwisely chosen to doubt in public prior to the match. Larsson was excellent last night.

The win, allied to the draw between Anderlecht and Bayern Munich, leaves Celtic in a prosperous, if not pole, position.

A terrific roar greeted both sets of players as they emerged onto the pitch, a noise that the Lyon coach Paul Le Guen feared would be influential.

Le Guen was correct but the easy manner in which Lyon settled into an attacking rhythm told of inspiration rather than trepidation.

Juninho, Eric Carriere and Sydney Govou roamed with threatening fluency and precision in their passing from the beginning.

Sitting in the heart of midfield Vikash Dhorasoo was another telling presence and it was his clipped pass from the centre circle that created the first serious scare for Celtic.

It came in the 22nd minute, Dhorasoo's chip being met by the head of Giovane Elber, signed from Bayern Munich in the summer.

Elber had a difficult backward header to make but his improvisation was good and Magnus Hedman had to scramble to paw the ball away for a corner.

For all that, though, the fact that Edmilson was showing his ability frequently was a measure of Celtic's pressure.

It was the Brazilian who deflected a 10th-minute drive from Thompson over the crossbar and it was Edmilson breaking down probe after Celtic probe.

Quite a few of these stemmed from Stilian Petrov, and on chances made Celtic should have forced Coupet into more exercise than he got prior to the penalty-kick. But Sutton sliced an inviting volley over in the 12th and Larsson scuffed a shot when free four minutes later.

But Larsson's characteristic speed over the ground was worrying Edmilson and his defensive colleagues and one of them, Anthony Reveillere, tripped Larsson as the Swede fizzed once more into the box.

The trip occurred in the 39th minute but by the time the penalty kick was taken another 60 seconds and more had passed. The delay may have got to Thompson for he failed to see Coupet leave his line before shooting. The advantage helped Coupet make his block.

Undeterred, Celtic started the second half at what is known as full pelt. It was not kick and rush but football as composed as could be played in an atmosphere increasing in fervour.

Thompson was at the hub of a spell of passing on the left and it ended with Hartson flashing a powerful shot across goal that Coupet did well to touch away. From the resulting corner swung in by Thompson to the far post, Hartson was again the target. As he chested the ball down Edmilson appeared to move the ball with his hand.

It may have been an illusion but the crowd reaction was furious and Celtic poured forward on the wave of frustration. Coupet was quickly brought into action again, this time flying to his left to push out a Larsson volley. Hartson then made way for Miller but Celtic's flow was unabated.

And within six minutes of his introduction Miller surged into the box as Larsson undid his marker on the left wing. Larsson delivered a brilliant centre and Miller met it with a downward header on the run.

Eight minutes later a near identical move finished with Sutton climbing at the far post to head in the second. Again Larsson was the provider.

CELTIC: Hedman; McNamara, Balde, Varga, Agathe, Lennon, Sutton, Petrov, Thompson, Larsson, Hartson (Miller 64). Subs Not Used: Douglas, Gray, Sylla, Petta, Maloney, Kennedy. Booked: Larsson. Goals: Miller 70, Sutton 78.

LYON: Coupet; Deflandre, Edmilson, Muller, Reveillere, Govou (Malouda 79), Diarra, Dhorasoo (Luyindula 74), Juninho, Carriere (Essien 63), Elber. Subs Not Used: Vercoutre, Sartre, Berthod, Viale. Booked: Diarra.

Referee: E Iturralde Gonzalez (Spain).