Neil Lennon could only watch as his team went down in the San Siro. Here's how his players fared - and how their opponents did:

CELTIC

FRASER FOSTER: Saved from Mario Balotelli twice in the first half but was unlucky as a deflection beat him for Milan's first before his set-piece save teed up Muntari. 6/10

MIKAEL LUSTIG: Back to right-back after his stint in the middle of defence against Shakhter Karagandy, he looked comfortable as Milan's narrow midfield meant he often went unchallenged. 6.

VIRGIL VAN DIJK: Brought in to replace Kelvin Wilson and like the departed Englishman, proved himself reliable on the biggest stage. Unlucky to come out on the losing side. 7.

EFE AMBROSE: His soft header set up Balotelli's early volley but the Nigerian came up with a couple of solid clearances as Milan grew in confidence after the break. Shown yellow booked for a trip on Sulley Muntari. 6.

EMILIO IZAGUIRRE: Still not the enthusiastic attacking full-back of three years ago but a decent performer at this level. Cruelly culpable for the opener after his dangling right foot sent Zapata's strike past Fraser Forster. 6.

CHARLIE MULGREW: Got himself in a muddle with overhead attempt six yards from Christian Abbiati's goal but did not let his side down as he broke up most things in midfield. Booked for continuous fouling. 6

SCOTT BROWN: Fortunate when Antonio Nocerino fired over in first half after he failed to track his run, the Glasgow side's skipper suffered another moment of indiscipline as he involved himself with Balotelli off the ball. Punished with a booking and the killer second from the free-kick that followed. 5.

ADAM MATTHEWS: Given space to roam down the right by Milan's narrow midfield diamond, the Welshman could have really troubled the hosts if only he had a final ball. 6.

KRIS COMMONS: A genuine spark for Celtic, the former Scotland international gave Nigel de Jong and Muntari plenty to think about as he found pockets of space to play out from. 7.

GEORGIOS SAMARAS: So often Celtic's European talisman, the Greek came within a whisker of scoring after bursting from half-way to shoot just wide early in second period. 7.

ANTHONY STOKES: Finally trusted to lead the line in the group stages, the Irishman proved with some clever link-up play that he is good enough to play at this level. Desperately unlucky not to give his side the lead with a free-kick attempt which smacked the bar. 7.

Substitutes

DERK BOERRIGTER (for Matthews, 75): On to give Hoops extra attacking instinct but deflated by late Milan goals. 3.

TEEMU PUKKI (for Commons, 77): Showed strength to win the free-kick which Anthony Stokes came so close with. 3.

NIR BITON (for Mulgrew, 89): Given the last minute but no time to make an impact. 1.

AC MILAN

CHRISTIAN ABBIATI: The Rossoneri skipper only survived after he conceded a bizarre in-direct free-kick seven yards from his own goal with help of team-mate Kevin Constant. Otherwise untroubled. 6/10

CRISTIAN ZACCARDO: The right-back was an eager forward runner for the hosts but all too often his final ball was below standard. 6.

CRISTIAN ZAPATA: Dealt comfortably with Georgios Samaras' forays infield from the left before benefitting from a major slice of luck as his deflected strike beat Foster in the away goal. 8.

PHILIPPE MEXES: The French international loves a tackle and his physicality was invaluable as the Scots

loaded the box at the set-piece. 7

KEVIN CONSTANT: Out quickly to block Charlie Mulgrew's strike after Abbiati gave away in-direct free-kick in the box. The left-back another solid performer. Substituted by Robinho. 7.

NIGEL DE JONG: Guilty of an ugly tackle on Samaras 15 minutes into the second half which went unpunished, the Dutch anchor man redeemed himself with a goal-saving tackle on Scott Brown. 7.

ANTONIO NOCERINO: Volleyed over after Brown failed to check his run midway through the first 45, but his duties were more about halting Celtic's midfield. 6

SULLEY MUNTARI: The ex-Portsmouth midfielder somehow missed a stick-on header at the back-post but made up as he followed in to net Milan's second after Forster saved from Mario Balotelli's stinging set-piece. 6

VALTER BIRSA: Positioned at the head of Milan's midfield diamond, he was supposed to give the home side a cutting edge but the Slovenian rarely threatened. Replaced by Urby Emanuelson. 5.

MARIO BALOTELLI: The former Manchester City maverick tested Forster early on with a well-struck volley while another deflected effort had the keeper scrambling. His second-half involvement was limited before whipping in the free-kick which led to the second. 7.

ALESSANDRO MATRI: the ex-Juventus forward struck twice for his old side against the Hoops last year but found the going much tougher this time. Replaced by Andrea Poli. 6.

Substitutes

URBY EMANUELSON (for Birsa, 63): Added extra legs for the last half-hour. 3.

ROBINHO (for Constant, 75): Helped kill the game once Milan were ahead. 3.

ANDREA POLI (for MATRI, 86): On late to shut-up shop for the Italians. 1.