CELTIC have become well qualified in handling European pressure situations, as they again displayed by defeating Elfsborg 1-0 last night.

Kris Commons' headed goal after 76 minutes made it seven straight wins in Champions League qualification and play-off games in the past year.

Hopefully, there will be a further three such tests to be passed before Neil Lennon and his players can take their place once again in the group stage of the world's most lucrative club competition.

By this time next week, we will know if they have cleared the tricky hurdle presented by Elfsborg.

While no-one in the Hoops camp will consider this job done, they can at least head to the Swedes' artificial surface in Boras with genuine belief that they avoided slipping up in the first leg – and that they will strip a fitter side over there.

Of course, Elfsborg will be more of a threat on their own pitch – they crushed Latvian side Daugava 7-1 there in the previous round.

And loan star Mo Bangura (roundly booed when his name was read out, whenever he touched the ball, and when he left the field with 10 minutes to go) and his team-mates will again have to be contained.

The striker at the centre of the storm since the draw paired Celtic with the club they sent him to back in January did not exactly come back to haunt the Hoops, but he did give them a few frights.

His enthusiastic style and unpredictable dribbling had Efe Ambrose in particular on the receiving end of more than one 'cajoling' from Lennon.

In the end, Lennon's mind games appeared to have hit their target while Bangura did not.

Lennon was being serious, however, when he predicted that this tie would not be over after one game.

Elfsborg are well-drilled and disciplined, content to sit back and allow Celtic the ball.

Then, spotting the slightest sniff of a mis- control, they spring forward and snap into tackles.

Celtic's dodgy, dispirit and often desperate defending – especially in the first half –gave the Swedish champs every encouragement to believe these tactics would reap reward.

However, this did not yield the away goal the Swedes came to Glasgow to plunder.

Indeed, at the halfway stage of last night's tie, all Elfsborg had to show for their efforts was a Bangura 25-yard shot which was comfortably saved by Fraser Forster, and an Anders Svensson cannonball which the keeper was happy to see rebound from his crossbar.

At the other end, Celtic had also struck the woodwork – James Forrest getting on the end of a Commons cross at the back post – and two decent Anthony Stokes attempts.

The first, after just 15 seconds, saw the man who wants to fill Gary Hooper's boots shoot across the face of goal from an acute angle after Georgios Samaras had sent him in behind the defence.

Stokes was on target with a wicked free-kick just before the half-time whistle blew, but keeper Kevin Stuhr- Ellegaard managed to fingertip the ball over the crossbar.

It was also Stokes who had managed to get the ball in the net midway through the half, but the whistle had already sounded as he fell into his old habit of running offside.

Quite what latest signing Derk Boerrigter made of it all as the Dutch winger watched on from the stand is anyone's guess.

Lennon's thoughts were easier to read. And when his players emerged for the second half, they showed the characteristics of men who had not exactly received tea and sympathy during the break.

The challenge the manager had thrown down pre-match had been to show they were still a force, even without the goals of Hooper and the power of Victor Wanyama.

Bearing in mind that Samaras is the squad's top scorer in Europe with 11 goals, and that the Greek enigma still has the support of the likes of Commons, Forrest and Stokes, there is no doubt the team still carries a threat.

But they made very hard work of it against Elfsborg, who are efficient and fit but not top class.

Even when Samaras did get a clear sight of goal, just seconds into the second half, the best he could do was strike his shot off the advancing keeper.

It was one of those nights for him and the team in general.

With Commons booked for what the referee perceived to be a dive inside the area – joining Andreas Klartstrem, Stefan Ishiaki, Jon Jonsson and Svensson in the ref's book, all for over-zealous tackling – the frustration was tangible, both on the field and in the stands.

Emilio Izaguirre was also cautioned for a heavy foul, and all of this succeeded in breaking up the rhythm which Celtic were trying hard to build.

Elfsborg had clearly done their homework on Samaras, and doubled up on him whenever they could, something he can anticipate being repeated next week.

Despite this special attention, he looked to have won his side a penalty when a rasping shot from the left-hand side of the area was pushed round the post by the right arm of Daniel Mobaeck, but the referee was not interested.

The lack of accuracy in deliveries into the box from wide areas also proved to be a barrier to penetration for Celtic. And, all the while, Bangura continued to make a nuisance of himself 70 yards up the field.

So the relief was huge when, with 14 minutes remaining, Commons made the all- important breakthrough.

For once, Izaguirre's cross from the left was where it needed to be and Commons' downward header was never going anywhere other than into the net.

A win and a clean sheet, added to Celtic's recent excellent away record in Europe, means Lennon's side are favourites to advance to the play-off.

But a tense 90 minutes – or maybe more – lies between them and that goal.