Celtic - 3 Benfica - 0: If the 1-0 penalty-kick victory over FC Copenhagen here in the previous game left Celtic's fingerprints on second place in Group F, then this excellent win over a feisty, skilful Benfica leaves Gordon Strachan's team with a firm grip on it.
If Celtic can avoid defeat in Lisbon in a fortnight then the next phase should be theirs for the first time since the reinvention of the European Cup as the Champions League.
Kenny Miller tucked away two in the space of 10 minutes early in the second half to win the game before Stephen Pearson's 90th-minute effort rounded things off.
With 19-year-old Dutchman Evander Sno prominent on his third start, Celtic sit five points above Benfica, who qualified for the knock-out stage last season with eight points. Rangers went through with one less point and Celtic now have the tantalising notion of Champions League football after Christmas.
Strachan had been far from negative about the possibility of missing up to five players. As it turned out, Lee Naylor and Maciej Zurawski were fit to start but there was no Thomas Gravesen, Aiden McGeady or Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink.
After two minutes, roared on by a typical surge of electrifying noise, Shaun Maloney brought a fine reflex save from Quim, with Maloney then having a snap half-volley charged down by Luisao.
A long throw from Paul Telfer was flicked on by Zurawski for Maloney's chance, the diminutive striker springing to produce a scissors-kick. Despite Quim's touch, the moment raised expectations of an early home breakthrough and much of Celtic's subsequent passing was slick and inventive. Maloney and Naylor were prominent in bursts down the left and there were flashes of skill from Shunsuke Nakamura.
Yet by half time Quim had made just one more save and that from a freakish cross-cum-shot from Naylor that had to be tipped over the crossbar.
Benfica displayed a defensive resolution that contrasted with their swaying forward probes. The imposing Luisao, part of Brazil's World Cup squad, was influential in central defence despite having Zurawski and Kenny Miller buzzing around.
In front of him sat Petit, who made cute fouls when he needed to, and cute passes. Once in possession, Benfica attacked with vim. Nuno Assis and Fabrizio Miccoli may look like stocky pub footballers but they had speed of thought and movement, with Nuno Assis initiating their best move of the half on 41 minutes.
Collecting a Telfer clearance during a short spell of sustained pressure, Nuno Assis switched the ball to Leo, whose deep cross was met powerfully by Konstantinos Katsouranis. The ball flew just over Artur Boruc's bar.
Sno began to show more at the beginning of the second half, a series of simple, swift passes keeping Celtic moving. Fittingly it was a pass of that variety to Maloney in the 56th minute that led to Naylor overlapping to provide the cross for Miller's goal.
From Naylor the ball was sent in low and hard towards the Benfica penalty spot and although Nakamura sliced it, it ran to Miller, who stabbed the ball beyond Quim. Benfica had over half an hour to search for an equaliser. They almost found it immediately, Nuno Assis striking Boruc's crossbar with a 20-yard shot.
The Portuguese won a corner, then another and when Luisao met the second on the run there was a gasp from the crowd that told of imminent danger. However, with Luisao's header blocked by a green and white blanket, Celtic scrambled the ball to the edge of their area, where Miller won it and slipped it left to Maloney. Benfica had only two defenders as Maloney broke and Miller sprinted ahead. With no little assurance Maloney took his time to refind Miller, who stroked it past the keeper once again. Cue more delirium.
CELTIC: Boruc, Telfer, Caldwell, McManus, Naylor, Nakamura, Lennon, Sno (Pearson 87), Maloney, Zurawski (Jarosik 84), Miller. Subs not used: Marshall, Balde, Thompson, Riordan, O'Dea. Booked: Sno.
BENFICA: Quim, Alcides, Luisao, Ricardo Rocha, Leo, Katsouranis (Nelson 72), Nuno Assis, Petit, Simao, Miccoli, Nuno Gomes (Fonseca 78). Subs not used: Moreira, Anderson, Miguelito, Beto, Karyaka. Booked: Katsouranis.
Referee: Eric Braamhaar (Holland).
