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Celtic manager Neil Lennon has injury concerns after Champions League win over Helsingborg

Updated: Wednesday, 22 Aug 2012 15:14

Kris Commons scored early on for Celtic
Kris Commons scored early on for Celtic

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Neil Lennon will have an injury roll call following Celtic's 2-0 win over Helsingborg which took the Hoops to the brink of a place in the Champions League group stages.

Kris Commons got the visitors off to a dream start in the first leg of their play-off when he volleyed in a Georgios Samaras cross from 12 yards with less than two minutes on the clock.

Fraser Forster made several saves as the Swedish champions fought back, but in the 75th minute Samaras put Celtic in the driving seat for the second leg in Glasgow next Wednesday night when he headed in a Commons corner.

Manager Lennon urged caution, saying: "There is still a lot to play for in the tie as far as I am concerned."

Before Age Hareide's side travel to Glasgow, Celtic have a trip to Inverness in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League at the weekend and Lennon will have to assess the impact of the game in Sweden.

He said: "Joe Ledley rapped his groin, Thomas Rogne is struggling with his ankle, Beram Kayal is feeling his ankle and Scott Brown had a touch of cramp towards the end.

"Kelvin (Wilson) has a touch of shin splints but he should be okay for the weekend. We will have Victor Wanyama back and Paddy McCourt will be fit.

"So we will have to see how Joe, Beram and Thomas are and also Kris Commons, who, ever since the Inter Milan game, has had a problem with his ankle and we will see how he is in the morning.

"These guys might have to shut down for a few days."

"There is still a lot to play for in the tie as far as I am concerned" - Neil Lennon

While most observers will believe Celtic are as good as in the draw for the group stages of the Champions League, former Celtic skipper Lennon said: "There was enough there to worry me as Helsingborg were very impressive.

"It could have been three or four (goals for Celtic) but that might have put a flattering scoreline on it considering we had to weather a lot of pressure in the first half.

"Obviously we got off to a dream start which isn't like us because normally we're a goal down after two or three minutes away in Europe.

"So it was a great start but we took our foot off the pedal a little bit and we had to rely on Fraser making a couple of great saves.

"We gathered ourselves at half-time and we were a lot better in the second half with James Forrest giving us a good out-ball on the right and I thought we restricted Helsingborg to shots from outside the box."

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