Celtic seize Euro advantage but Neil Lennon remains wary

• Celtic striker Giorgios Samaras milks the crowd after doubling the home side's lead in last night's 2-0 win over Utrecht. Pic: SNS Group

A 2-0 win at Celtic Park, with first half goals from Efrain Juarez and a rejuvenated Georgios Samaras, put Lennon's team in the driving seat as they bid to secure a place in the group stage of the tournament. But Lennon remains wary about Celtic's wretched away record in European competition, most recently seen when a 3-0 defeat in Braga contributed to their Champions League elimination.

Asked if he felt confident Celtic would now progress, Lennon replied: "Have you seen our away record in Europe? I'm never comfortable about it. If you had asked me before the game if I would have accepted a 2-0 win tonight, I would have said 'yes'.

"Overall, I was very pleased. We scored a couple of goals and kept a clean sheet which was important. But we rode our luck at times in the game and we still have a lot of work to do over there next week."

Lennon was especially satisfied by the debut performances of Swedish international central defender Daniel Majstrovic and Israeli midfieler Beram Kayal, the latter particularly impressive before limping off in the second half with an injury the manager does not think is serious.

The same cannot be said for right-back Andreas Hinkel, who will miss the rest of the season after suffering a cruciate ligament injury in training. The German international is in the final year of his contract.

Kayal's injury, however, is a minor one. "He should be okay," said Lennon. "I thought Beram was excellent. He has been very impressive in training and it was always in my mind to play him tonight. He's got a bit of everything. He made tackle after tackle, he passed the ball very well and he also showed he can burst forward and go past people. He is mature for his age and I like his mentality, hunger and humility. He has got all the things you want in a player.

"I also felt Daniel had a very composed debut at the back. He gives us a physical presence there which we haven't had for a while.

"We still have a lot of work to do with the back four - there was a wee bit of a lack of understanding in the first half - but there a lot of positive signs there."

Dundee United, meanwhile, have an arduous task in Greece next week to progress to the group stage after a 1-0 loss at home to AEK Athens, who led from the 12th minute. Manager Peter Houston blamed inexperience for his team's below-par display, with United failing to land a shot on target.

"The only way we let ourselves down is that we gave the ball away too cheaply," said Houston. "I think a lot of that was down to inexperience.We were a bit apprehensive, a bit nervy at first. But they (AEK] are an extremely good side. We will have learnt more from tonight than any SPL game. It's a hugely tall order to go through from here, but stranger things have happened."

A late goal from Tom Hateley grabbed Motherwell a Europa League lifeline in a 2-1 defeat at Odense, with the Fir Park side pleased to take a valuable away goal into the second leg after having fallen two goals behind.