Alan Thompson fired Celtic top of Champions League Group E and a step closer towards the 10 points Martin O'Neill reckons will steer his side into the second group stages.

	Paul Lambert clashes with Bent Skammelsrud (CliveBrunskill/Allsport)

After his crucial goal at Ibrox 10 days ago the midfielder struck again with a first-half free-kick as the Glasgow giants moved to six points in Champions League Group E.

Rosenborg needed victory to keep their hopes of making the latter stages alive and they made it an entertaining affair while also giving the Celtic fans many worrying moments.

But with O'Neill back in the dug-out following his one-match ban his side showed the resolve and the bottle to bag all points and move one point clear of Juventus after their draw with Porto.

Rosenborg looked dangerous on the break with dangermen Orjan Berg and Bent Skammelsrud causing all sorts of problems. Celtic looked nervous against the pace of their counter-attacks, but they soon settled down and Didier Agathe twice came close to breaking the deadlock in the space of three minutes.

First Thompson's cross fell to the Frenchman at the far post, but his right-foot shot was blocked on the line by Erik Hoftun. Then Orjan Berg's mis-placed pass was seized upon and once again Rosenborg skipper Hoftun saved his side by blocking his effort again.

Celtic appeared to have clear claims for a penalty in the 14th minute when Berg appeared to handle after Arason's punch, but French referee Alain Sars waved away the protests.

But justice was done six minutes later when Thompson fired home a free-kick to give Celtic the lead.

Janne Saarinen was booked for bringing Stilian Petrov down on the edge of the box and Larsson ran over the ball to give Thompson the chance to hit a crisp left-foot shot through the wall and past Arason.

The home side could have given themselves some breathing space six minute before the break. Agathe skipped past Saarinen down the right flank and pulled the ball across the face of goal, but Chris Sutton was just unable to connect with the ball for what would have been a certain goal.

Five minutes after the break, Sutton sent Larsson away, but Hoftun made up ground and he and Arason again did enough to put the Swede off and he pulled his effort into the side-netting.

Celtic continued to sit deep, but they almost relieved some pressure with a goal in the 62nd minute. Thompson's free-kick was flicked on by Sutton into the path of Larsson, but keeper Arason was quick off his line to save at his feet.

O'Neill decided to change things four minutes later by taking off goalscorer Thompson and bringing on Steve Guppy, and Celtic almost doubled their lead in the 68th minute when Petrov found Agathe for the winger to swing in a dangerous cross, but Hoftun again made a vital headed clearance.

Sutton then stung the fingers of Arason in the 76th minute with a fierce right-foot shot which the keeper had to save at the second attempt.

With two minutes remaining Petrov could have wrapped up the victory and made it a more relaxed finale for the home fans, but he headed Guppy's cross wide. But Celtic hung on despite the tense last stages as Douglas saved a Frode Johnsen header.

Now they go to Porto next week with their Champions League destiny in their own hands.