Celtic manager Gordon Strachan was encouraged by his squad's efforts despite seeing their pre-season tours of Poland and the USA end without a victory.
The Bank of Scotland Premier League champions were within seconds of victory against New England Revolution in Foxboro, Massachusetts, last night but had to settle for a 1-1 draw.
Ryan Latham snatched a late equaliser for the Revolution after Rocco Quinn had put Celtic on course for victory. It was a second successive draw following three consecutive defeats for the Glasgow side.
Strachan said: 'I thought the first half hour when we just moved the shape up a wee bit, it made something interesting. I was pleased with that in the second-half. We looked a bit stronger, a bit fitter. I think the game was a bit better - a long way from being what we would like, but I think it is a start.'
Strachan had a few encouraging words for 19-year-old Dutch midfielder Evander Sno, a summer signing from Feyenoord.
He said: 'I thought young Evander did well. He's a big lad, he's only 19.'
Scotland Under-21 midfielder Quinn opened the scoring in the 80th minute when he tucked home from six yards after a Derek Riordan shot was kept out.
Strachan added: 'Once you've scored, you can see that you can be a part of this team. Once you've scored you realise that it's not hard, this game. After that, for the next 10 minutes he was up there, he showed the right way in the other games he played.'
Strachan admitted the lack of scoring chances was a concern, although he had made changes with Stilian Petrov featuring in midfield and Adam Virgo up front.
'I'd like to make more chances,' Strachan said. 'I still think we need to have more presence up front one way or the other. I still think the most important part of your team is the front unit.'
Celtic's ten-day American tour has involved a lot of travel with trips to Washington DC and New Jersey from their Boston base.
They have spent the past few days in Boston but with the heat intense, Strachan cancelled Tuesday's training session and had the players workout in the pool instead.
'We've enjoyed the last four days of training, and getting together without too much travelling so that was good,' said Strachan.
