Barcelona 2 Celtic 1: match report An inspired and resolute performance by Neil Lennon's indefatigable Celtic players brought them to within seconds of a superb result in the Nou Camp, only to be thwarted by Jordi Alba's winner at the end of four minutes of added time. Georgios Samaras headed a first-half opener, but even after Andres Iniesta equalised on the stroke of half-time, Celtic's bravery kept Barcelona at bay until, with almost the last kick of the contest, Jordi Alba forced the winner home. Samaras, whose physical power and hard-running style was identified by Lennon as one of the few weapons in Celtic's armoury that might trouble Messi and Co, initially began behind Gary Hooper but, as the half progressed, he became the target man for his hard-pressed colleagues. Not that it seemed likely that the Greek would see much of the ball, to judge by the opening stages. Celtic's difficulty was in keeping the ball long enough on the other side of the halfway line to have any chance of giving Victor Valdes more to do than watch the action unfolding at the other end of the field. Iniesta, of all people, obliged them by fouling Brown wide on the Celtic right, about 30 yards from goal. Lennon had prayed for just such an eventuality and the outcome could not have gratified him more. Mulgrew's pacy delivery was met by Samaras, whose spring on the six-yard box afforded him a free header. His effort might have found the mark but, in the event, Mascherano got in the way and the ball came off his back to leave Valdes stranded. The Catalans, briefly bemused by this unforeseen turn of events, were soon swarming around the opposite goalmouth but what really disrupted Celtic was the injury to Samaras, ­sustained in a challenge with Song - which forced the forward to depart and be replaced by James Forrest. Still, the green-and-white rampart held until, with half-time sanctuary in sight, Celtic were undone by a dazzling display of classic Barça interplay. Messi - on a quiet evening for him - burst into life with a prompt to Iniesta, who played a lightning one-two with Xavi Hernandez before driving precisely between Forster and his left-hand post for the equaliser. Barça launched a series assaults from the restart but Celtic had chances to counterpunch, the best of which saw them break two on two over the halfway line only for Wanyama to dither too long and surrender possession to Mascherano. Forster also produced a succession of big saves - two from Messi to keep his team level and when he was beaten by a David Villa drive, the post came to his rescue. Alas, there was no answer to Alba's touch in from a curling cross from the right - but Celtic will be replete with confidence when the sides meet again in Glasgow in two weeks.