The striker said: "This is a new experience for many members of the team and I think that we will learn from it and improve as the competition progresses. But I think we are now confident that we can more than hold our own at this level.We can definitely qualify for the last 16."
Referee Nicola Rizzoli was at the centre of a penalty claim storm after James Forrest was seemingly upended in the box – a decision that may have robbed Celtic of all three points.
The result, though, means Neil Lennon's team will probably have to pick up points on the road in their games against Barcelona, Benfica and Spartak Moscow to progress to the last 16.
However, Hooper, who was left out of the starting line-up after picking up an ankle injury in training at Lennoxtown, believes the Scottish champions are more than capable of getting results on their travels.
He said: "I thought that defensively we played very well against Benfica. We contained an extremely good team very well for the 90 minutes and deserved to get the clean sheet at the end of the game. It was a bit of a makeshift defence. Mikael Lustig had to come in and play alongside Kelvin Wilson, but they both did brilliantly against top-class opposition.
"That gives us hope that we can go away from home and do well. We could have got at them a bit more ourselves, but, overall, I think a draw is a good result. We can certainly qualify for the knockout stages, I'm sure.
"We certainly created chances to score. We also had a penalty claim at the end which, on another night, the referee could have given us.
"We have to make sure we put the ball in the back of the net the next time we play.
"Sure, it is going to be tough, it is not easy to play and win at this level. We will have to be at our best. But reaching the last 16 is certainly an achievable goal for us."
Meanwhile, Forrest claimed Celtic should have been awarded a penalty when he went down in the Benfica box in the closing minute of the match.
He said: "I thought it was a penalty. On another night, I think the referee might have given it.
"But we can't dwell on it now. We have to move on and look to the next game."
