O'Neill fumes at late penalty

Celtic's Neil Lennon confronts referee Urs Meier

Celtic manager Martin O'Neill was left exasperated by the late penalty decision that cost his side a place in the last 16 of the Champions League.

The Scottish side had twice battled back to get on level terms and looked on course to get the point needed to make the knock-out stages.

But Swiss referee Urs Meier ruled that Celtic defender Bobo Balde had blocked an 85th minute header with his arm and Juninho made it 3-2 with a cool spot-kick.

Report: Lyon 3-2 Celtic

"The fact is that Bobo had his hand up and you can't give anybody any possibility of giving a decision like that at all," said O'Neill.

"The disappointing thing is that the Lyon players all turned to go for a goal kick and nobody thought it was a penalty.

"I saw the ball go into the penalty box and Bobo's arm up but it wasn't a deliberate handball. There was a slight touch if anything at all.

"I think the referee knows this is a massive game for both teams in the Champions League and he has to be sure that it is a deliberate handball."

Giovane Elber had headed the home side into an early lead but John Hartson hit back for Celtic.

"We played fantastically in the first half and showed terrific ability, resilience and character," O'Neill continued. "At half-time I felt we could score another goal."

However, Juninho scored his first of the evening with a swerving shot from distance soon after the interval and Celtic struggled to contain a side full of quick, inventive play.

But Celtic enjoyed a slice of luck when a poor defensive clearance gave Chris Sutton the opportunity to square the game in the 75th minute.

Martin O'Neill was furious with the penalty decision

"We gave away a bad goal after half-time which knocked the stuffing out of us for 10-15 minutes - it was a poor one to give away," O'Neill added.

"But we showed more character and got level so it is disappointing to have lost a game of that magnitude to a decision so late in the game.

"If there is such a thing in a Champions League game where, with three or four minutes to go, you can look at it and think you can defend the position - well I thought this was it.

"The referee will have to examine his own game all night - that sounds like really sour grapes but it doesn't matter. The video is there for all to see."

Celtic's third place finish in Group A sees them go into the Uefa Cup but O'Neill was in no mood to take any comfort from reaching the tournament they finished as runners-up in last season.

"It's a consolation and we're still involved in Europe," said O'Neill. "But at this moment the defeat is very hard to take."