Knocked out of the Champions League and trailing Aberdeen by five points in the SPL, the Celtic players probably rejoiced when they heard they were going to Amsterdam - and then recoiled in horror after remembering that it was for business. Indeed, the Bhoys face Ajax tonight in their Europa League opener. They should be flying higher than some of this famous city's tourists but, instead, they're lower than the morals of, well, this famous city's tourists. I'm Shane and I'll bringing you all the action on a night where the only thing hoping to be sparked is the blue touchpaper on Celtic's season. Let's go.

Like eating traditional Amsterdam brownies, chewing on too much, too soon, would probably be a grave error. Consequently, let's look at the team news before we delve into anything else, shall we? Why not. Stay tuned.

AJAX XI: Cillessen; Tete, Veltman, Riedewald, Dijks; Gudelj, Klaassen, Sinkgraven; Fischer, Younes, El Ghazi

CELTIC XI: Gordon; Lustig, Boyata, Simunovic, Izaguirre; Brown, Bitton; Forrest, Johansen, Commons; Griffiths

AJAX SUBS: Boer, van Rhijn, van der Hoorn, Viergever, Serero, Schone, Milik

CELTIC SUBS: Bailly, Blackett, Ambrose, Ciftci, Mackay-Steven, Rogic, Janko

Let's start with the hosts and I can tell you that Arsenal loanee Yaya Sanogo is nowhere to be seen, which may or may not be more disappointing for Celtic than it is for Ajax. Frank de Boer makes three changes in total from the 2-2 draw with Twente at the weekend, with Mitchell Dijks, Amin Younes - who, by the way, is brilliant - and Viktor Fischer coming into the fold. I had the pleasure of watching Younes for Germany Under-21s in the summer and he's a major handful on the left wing.

On to the Scots now and Ronny Deila makes four changes from the 2-1 defeat at Aberdeen. Defender Jozo Simunovic comes in at centre-half for his debut, while there's also room for Emilio Izaguirre, James Forrest and Kris Commons. Leigh Griffiths spearheads the attack again instead of Nadir Ciftici.

So, how are both doing domestically? Well, Ajax lost their 100% start to the Eredivisie season in the draw with Twente, but they're still top, one point clear of Heracles, whose strong-arm tactics will be exposed soon. That's just a little joke, but what is NOT a laughing matter is Celtic's start. Well, it's quite funny for Rangers I suspect.

Yep, Celtic should definitely be top and well on course for their 349th Scottish Premiership title, but Deila's side are second, with a five-point deficit from the Dons, who beat them at the weekend. They were eliminated from the Champions League playoffs by Malmo. Suddenly, that Champions League win over Barcelona in 2012 seems a long, long time ago. There's about as much feel-good atmosphere at Celtic as there is at a Leonard Cohen gig. Or a funeral.

PREDICTION! Right, let's get a prediction wrong, and I'm going for a 2-2 draw. Let's have a quick look at what Twitter is saying.

How about no, Scott? We jest. This one could have legs - and if it does then it'll walk itself into the bin with my prediction.

Right, I'm gonna make my prediction. Gonna go for #Ajax 1 #Celtic 2 tonight. Time for a solid Away European performance. Hopefully....

— Scotty (@Sco2hot) September 17, 2015

Gramo, meanwhile, is going nowhere near a prediction. It's too close to call in his opinion. We don't blame him.

No touching the Ajax\Celtic game. Too close to call IMO! — Gramo (@Gramo1875) September 17, 2015

This fellow is feeling optimistic. And why not? I mean, he's almost certainly wrong, but we admire his gusto.

My prediction for tonight.. Ajax 0 - Celtic 3 HH 💚🍀👍 — KingOfKings (@Con_Shaunnery) September 17, 2015

Scottish people - get the haggis served up. Dutch people - get your, eh, clogs on. You've got three minutes.

KICKOFF: And we're off in the Dam! Let's go. I fancy a decent clash.

Very little to report so far other than Younes, the fella who we tipped for a big game pre match, did something rather silly, making us, or me, look rather silly in the process. Pick it up pal

It's fierce scrappy this. Neither side have kept the ball for more than, I would say, 10 passes so far. There's not much fluency, unlike the Dutch who have excellent English.

What a start from the Bhoys! It's an excellent step over from Commons, who then feeds Bitton on the right-hand side and the midfielder makes no mistake, drilling an arrowed effort past Cillessen and through the heart of Ajax inside 10 minutes. Top finish.

Decent idea by Nemanja Gudelj, who looks to play in El Ghazi but his over-the-top through ball has too much pace on it and Craig Gordon scoops it up. Better from the hosts.

CLOSE! What a nightmare this would've been for Simunovic on his debut as he nearly prods it past his own goalkeeper to cut out Fischer's through ball, but it's wide and the corner comes to nothing. Ajax getting well on top.

Gudelj gets himself into an excellent position near the byline, but it comes to nothing because, well, his final ball was a little pony. Ajax have dominated since going behind but Celtic holding strong.

Celtic have literally all 11 green shirts camped in Ajax's half and it's not illegal. The visitors seem to have an 'any means necessary' style about them tonight.

SHOT! Younes executes a few step-overs before drilling a rather tame shot straight into Gordon's arms.a

CHALLENGE! Talk about no-nonsense - this is a crunching challenge on Commons by Veltman but, to his credit, the ex-Derby man doesn't make a meal of it. He's back up straight away.

Wonderful equaliser from Ajax. Younes cuts inside his marker before playing in Klaassen's, whose exquisite first-time flick releases Fischer and his fierce drive nestles in the bottom right corner. Superb stuff.

Younes is slowly but surely growing more influential and Mikael Lustig has a horrible hour or so ahead of him you feel.

SHOT! Gudelj, who has been excellent tonight for Ajax, looks to add a second but he pulls his long-ranger a little left of the post. We predicted 2-2 and that certainly has legs.

SHOT! Some excellent play from Younes again as he drives inside before playing in Daley Sinkgraven, who thrashes well wide from outside the area. He should be hitting the target there at least.

Commons floats a decent free kick into the box but it has a tiny bit too much depth on it and bounces out for a goal kick. Still, that's the closest Celtic have come to a second, which should contextualise Ajax's dominance.

Emilio Izaguirre goes to the ground like a sack of spuds after being 'fouled' by El Ghazi. I say 'fouled' because, well, there was nothing in it. If Celtic lose then at least their left-back might get an Oscar nod.

SAVE! What a save and this would've been ever so cruel on Ajax. They switch off at a throw in as Forrest finds himself at the byline, before pulling back for Griffiths, whose first-time prod is heading in but Cillessen has to adjust his body instantly to tip it past the post. Fine stop.

Oh my word. How are Celtic leading this? Commons floats a corner into the box and Lustig, who isn't picked up by Gudelj, leaps highest to nod it home and they're heading into the break with a lead. Lord knows how because Ajax have been much better overall.

So, that's it for one half. Nir Bitton rifled the visitors ahead inside 10 minutes, but Viktor Fischer finished off a slick Ajax team move for a deserved equaliser. It seemed like being all square at the break, but then Mikael Lustig headed home a Kris Commons corner in the last four or five minutes to re-establish the lead. How? Don't ask. The hosts have been much better, yet Celtic lead! They won't be complaining, nor will their a couple thousand fans who have made the trip from Glasgow and beyond.

RESTART! And we're back. Can Ajax get back into this? Undoubtedly, but will they? That's the pressing question. I fancy a big 45 minutes ahead. Let's go.

Excellent pressing from Klaassen as he pressures Lustig really well. That sums up the mentality Ajax, on a collective basis, need in this second 45 minutes because a comeback won't be easy, but they've certainly got the players to achieve it.

HEADER! Big centre-half Joel Veltman is up for a corner, but his header glances just wide of Craig Gordon's post.

Bitton has been excellent in midfield tonight. He opened the scoring of course, but he has also broken up a whole host of Ajax attacks with those long legs of his.

CHANCE! Huge let-off for Celtic as Fischer plays in Klaassen, and a steady first touch would have put him one-on-one with Gordon but he doesn't control it and Celtic clear.

BOOKING: Izaguirre becomes the first player booked for a challenge on Tete. Moments earlier, Celtic almost score a second but Forrest has a couple of quick-fire efforts blocked after Cillessen failed to deal with a routine cross.

CLOSE! Celtic been the better team in recent minutes, and big Swedish right-back Lustig almost adds a third - and a second for him - but his header drops narrowly wide from Commons's corner.

CHANCE! Celtic want a third, and they almost get one as Commons floated a wonderful ball over the top for Griffiths but, on his left-foot, the Bhoys striker thrashes a first-time volley into the side netting. He hasn't really had a sniff tonight, Griffiths, but that was certainly a chance.

SUB: Arkadiusz Milik replaces Amin Younes in the first sub of the night. The Ajax winger only showed what he could do in spurts and was virtually anonymous in this second half.

BOOKING: It's 2-0 to Celtic in the cautionary stakes now as Lustig follows Izaguirre into the book. We've got some 25 minutes to go. Will they hang on?

SHOT! Gudelj looks to get Ajax back on level terms, but it's a horrendous free kick and it goes well over the bar. The less said about that the better.

Celtic and Ajax share Group A with Molde and Fenerbahce, and the Turkish side, who boast the likes of Van Persie, Nani and Markovic this season, are losing 3-1 at home! That's a big shock if it stays like that.

BOOKING! Make that 3-0 in yellow cards to Celtic, as Johansen follows Lustig and Izaguirre into the book for a stupid challenge on Cillessen it has to be said.

SUB: Lustig, who has a touch of cramp, is replaced by big Efe Ambrose for the final 20 minutes. As it stands the Swede is indeed the matchwinner, but he has looked a touch dodgy defensively.

Eighteen minutes to go and I don't want to worry you, Ajax fans, but Celtic look very comfortable. They've been the better team in this second half. The hosts haven't had a sniff if we're honest.

Tip: if you want to commit a bad foul on a player without punishment just walk away from the scene of the crime as quick as possible. Gudelj fouls Commons and it's a stonewall yellow, but the Ajax midfielder walks away and the referee doesn't bother punishing him. Try it in astro next week.

RED CARD! Wave goodbye to Emilio Izaguirre, who picks up a second yellow card for a stupid, stupid foul on Kenny Tete. We could see it coming - the man is a nutcase.

DOUBLE SUB: Celtic withdraw winger James Forrest for defender Tyler Blackett, while Ajax remove Fischer for Lasse Schone.

SHOT! From the resulting free kick, Milik fires just over the bar and what a big last 15 minutes it is for Celtic. Lord knows what Izaguirre was doing. If I were Deila I'd make him swim back to Scotland and I wouldn't necessarily care if he could swim or not.

CLOSE! Ajax have their tails up now and Klaassen squeezes between Blackett and Simunovic to reach a cross, but his header is wide. He should be doing better there.

OFF THE POST! So unlucky for Ajax as Milik hangs in the air for what seems like an hour, but his header to reach El Ghazi's cross loops up over Gordon and drops against the post. They're certainly getting closer.

SUB: Celtic make their final change now as Saidy Janko replaces Kris Commons who looks a) old and b) overweight. But he's been excellent tonight so you overweight pensioners, it's not too late.

It's been coming and Celtic, who criminally make a sub before a set piece, are pegged back when Schone's free kick goes straight in. He meant it was a cross. No doubt. Suspect defending. It was Commons who conceded the free kick, so he might be slumped down in his seat, with his jacket over his face.

We actually predicted 2-2, so if that comes we're due some kudos. Four to play plus, say, three or four minutes added on.

One minute to go now and Celtic holding strong. They're nearly there - and we're nearly there for some much-needed kudos.

CHANCE! Oh my word what a chance as Milik heads over. He could, and should, have scored. No question about it. Three to play here.

That's it! Celtic hang on, despite playing with 10 men for the last 16 minutes or so. They were given a scare when Schone equalised, before Ajax launched a full-blooded effort to snatch all three points, but the Bhoys clung on to a point. Well done to them. And well done to us, who predicted 2-2! Anywho, that's it. There's the 8pm kickoffs to look forward to now so tune into your commentary of choice on that front. For me, though, goodnight!