RONNY DEILA can’t catch a break.

Just when must have began to think he would come away from Amsterdam with a much-needed win, recklessness and a familiar problem cost his side what would have been a magnificent result.

While leading 2-1 against an Ajax team who looked out of ideas, Emilio Izaguirre needlessly got himself sent off and then yet another set-piece cost Deila’s side a goal and it is another Craig Gordon won’t want to watch again. It also came late in the game, a worrying trait this group have to deal with.

A point away from home against any Ajax side is never anything other than admirable and the Scottish champions deserve enormous credit for starting their Europa League campaign with a positive result that that not many saw him coming before the match.

Celtic and their manager need a long run in this tournament and on the evidence from last night in the Amsterdam Arena, they might just have it in them to do so. It’s early days, however, there was much that Deila would have enjoyed.

Celtic were happy to allow Ajax possession, but the shape was good and they defended much better. Ajax lacked a cutting edge at times and their defence were poor. The Dutch were good for a draw, but it felt like a missed opportunity for Deila's men.

Kris Commons was back in the team, his first start in Europe this season, and he set up two goals without being at the top of his game. It is a puzzle that he is not on that team sheet every week.

Jozo Simunovic made his debut and did okay, Nir Bitton was again excellent and Scott Brown played far better on a night he never once stopped running.

The best way for any team to feel better about themselves is to score a goal, which is exactly what Celtic did after eight minutes.

It was the first time they got forward in numbers when on the right hand side, Bitton skipped past a couple of players, his pass to Commons was returned to him and the finish, a first-time low shot, gave Ajax goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen no chance.

Ajax tried to respond. On 13 minutes a good run from Davy Klasssen forced Simonovic into a rushed clearance which wasn’t far away from being an own-goal. Then Anwar El Ghazi’s pace and determination got him pas Izaguirre and into the Celtic box, he opted to go it alone when there were options and was crowded out as he shot. It was a warning.

Ajax were on the attack again on 19 minutes when Amin Younes, making his debut, skinned Mikael Lustig and got his effort on target, which was never going to beat Gordon at his near post.

That an equaliser arrived on 24 minutes came as little surprise.

Younes had been a nuisance all evening and he was at it again, cutting from the left with no Celtic player able to get close. He passed to Klaassen whose back heel picked out Viktor Fischer on the edge of the box and he superbly placed his shot past Gordon into the bottom corner.

Celtic were struggling to get on the ball, let along doing anything when they had it. So they accepted a piece of fortune on 40 minutes when they won a dubious throw-in well up the park. While Ajax argued their case, James Forrest got down the line, cutback for Leigh Griffiths, but the striker didn’t connect properly which allowed Cillessen to make a save, albeit a smart one.

And then out of virtually nothing, Celtic retook the lead. Commons won a corner and took it himself, the ball was lofted into the six-yard box and Lustig was allowed way too much space in such a dangerous area and his header got past the Ajax players on the line.

And that his how the first-half ended, with the small band of Celtic fans cheering while the Ajax support were confused as to why their team were behind. An odd 45 minutes.

The men from the Netherlands did start the second-half brightly. More than once the much-maligned Dedryck Boyata cleared for his team. He wasn’t perfect by but this was better from the defender.

On 53 minutes, after some quick passing , the ball was played to Klaassen inside the box and dead centre of goal, but he choose to back-heel to a team-mate that wasn’t there when if he had shot, it would have been a goal.

A minute later, Celtic won a corner which Commons took and Ajax keeper Cillessen, who was anything but assured, horribly flapped at the ball which fell to Forrest who had two attempts at goal both of which were blocked.

Celtic went close to a third on the hour. The move started with Simunovic and the ball was played through Brown and Johansen to Commons who spotted Griffiths had made a run to the back post, he found the striker with a perfect pass and the shot on the volley landed in the side-netting.

Then just when Celtic were looking comfortable, Izaguirre made his third risky challenge while on a yellow card and that more than anything was why he was sent off for a foul on Anwar El Ghazi.

So now it was about defending and hoping. Klaassen went close with a header 13 minutes from time when he sent the ball past after out- jumping Simunovic. Then the same player hit the post with a header, the ball eventually was cleared from under the crossbar.

But the second goal did come with six minutes to go. Commons was penalised for handball on the left hand side of the pitch a good 40 yards from goal. Lasse Schone, who scored against Celtic last time they played, took the free-kick which curled towards goal and Gordon seemed to jump out of the way of the ball.

Arkadiusz Milik headed over in injury time, but Celtic held out. Yes it was frustrating, but this was a more than decent start.

Ajax (4-3-3): Cillessen; Tete, Veltman, Riedewald, Dijks; Gudelj, Klaassen, Sinkgraven (Sereno 62); Fischer (Schone 73), Younes (Milik 62), El Ghazi

Subs not used: Boer, Van Rhijn, Van der Hoorn, Viergever

Celtic (4-2-3-1): Gordon; Lustig (Ambrose 68), Boyata, Simunovic, Izaguirre; Brown, Bitton; Forrest (Blackett 74), Johansen, Commons (Janko 83); Griffiths

Subs not used: Bailly, Ciftci, Mackay-Steven, Rogic

Bookings: Ajax (Serero 88), Celtic (Izaguirre 55 s/73, Lustig 64, Johansen 67)