Group D: Shakhtar Donetsk 2, Celtic 0 Celtic suffered another dispiriting away defeat in the Champions League in their first game of this year's campaign against Shakhtar Donetsk in the Olympiyskiy Stadium last night.
They were 2-0 down after just eight minutes in a disastrous start to the match - Brandao's drive from the edge of the box in the fifth minute followed three minutes later by a Cristiano Lucarelli header.
Celtic are still looking for their first away win in the group stages of the tournament after 13 attempts and will now be concentrating on the visit of AC Milan in their next Group D match.
Although Celtic lost to Manchester United in their first group game last season and still qualified for the last 16, on this evidence the Scottish champions will have a more difficult task emulating that feat this time round.
In a one-sided first half Celtic could not have complained if they had been five down at the interval.
Shakhtar had beaten Celtic 3-0 at the same stage of the tournament three seasons ago and they made in-roads into beating that score right from the kick-off.
Celtic skipper Stephen McManus took an uncharacteristic and needless risk at the edge of his own penalty area, giving Fernandinho the chance to put Brandao through on goal and his fellow Brazilian quickly dispatched the ball past Artur Boruc.
Three minutes later, with Celtic in disarray, defender Razvan Rat's deep cross from the left found the head of Lucarelli who guided the ball past the flailing Boruc from 12 yards out.
Another Rat cross from the left found Lucarelli, but this time Boruc saved the Italian's weak effort before Brandao had the ball in the net again, only to be ruled offside, although television pictures suggested the decision was wrong.
Shakhtar's big-money stars were turning on the style and there appeared to be no respite on the horizon for the bedraggled Hoops.
Celtic's first effort on goal came in the 28th minute, McDonald's drive from the edge of the box being deflected for a corner.
Donetsk defended the set-piece easily enough but moments later Vennegoor of Hesselink should have scored from Shunsuke Nakamura's driven free-kick, the Dutchman heading high over from close range when a goal looked more likely.
The visitors welcomed the half-time whistle and after the restart they went looking to reduce the deficit.
However, Shakhtar soon had them on the back foot again but without the immediate results of the opening half, Srna hitting the side net with an angled-drive with his first poor piece of play in the game.
In the 53rd minute Brandao missed a sitter after Mariusz Lewandoswki had sent in a cross straight on to the Brazilian's head.
Castillo then worked some space at the edge of the Celtic box twice in a couple of minutes, but again fired over on both occasions.
By then the points were safe and Celtic now turn their attention to the visit of the Italians as their next hope of getting off the mark.
SHAKHTAR DONETSK:Pyatov, Srna, Hubschman, Kucher, Rat, Ilsinho, Lewandowski, Fernandinho (Duljaj 86), Lucarelli (Gladkiy 70), Jadson (Castillo 65), Brandao. Subs not used: Shust, Gay, Byelik, Yezerskiy. Booked: Srna.
CELTIC:Boruc, Wilson, Caldwell, McManus, Naylor, Donati, Hartley, Scott Brown, Nakamura (McGeady 65), McDonald (Killen 68), Vennegoor of Hesselink (Zurawski 85). Subs not used: Mark Brown, Sno, Kennedy, O'Dea. Booked: Scott Brown.
Referee:Alberto Undiano Mallenco (Spain).
