Strachan told BBC2 Scotland: "I knew it would be an open game but I didn't know it would be that open. What a fantastic game.

"We've seen a few great games here but that was just fantastic.

"Our mental strength was great because they played well in the first half. So for us to do so well in the second half was fantastic.

"I felt we would win. I felt it was our time. Mentally we were strong and that helped us physically."

With Rangers also progressing to tomorrow's group draw, Scotland has two representatives in Europe's top competition.

Strachan said: "To get two teams into the group stages is fantastic news for Scotland."

Celtic secured their place in the Champions League group stages with a dramatic 4-3 penalty shoot-out win in their third-round qualifier against Spartak Moscow at Parkhead.

It was an exhilarating night in the east end of Glasgow which witnessed a penalty missed by either side during the game before Artur Boruc became a hero by saving Maxim Kalinichenko's spot-kick. The preceding 120 minutes had been breath-taking at times.

Hoops striker Scott McDonald took advantage of a mistake by Roman Shishkin to prod the ball home after 28 minutes but Roman Pavluchenko, who had missed an earlier penalty, struck on the stroke of half-time to equalise.

Spartak defender Martin Stranzl was sent off for a 'last man' tackle with six minutes to go before Celtic striker Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink hit the bar with a penalty in extra-time.

The penalty shoot-out ended 4-3 for Celtic who join rivals Rangers in the Monaco draw.

Celtic Park could hardly have witnessed a more compelling first half of football in all its years.

Celtic should have taken the lead when a favourable break of the ball gave McDonald the chance to beat Stipe Pletikosa from just 10 yards out but the Australian striker sent his shot trundling past the far post.

The match raced to the other end with the jet-heeled Vladimir Bystrov cutting the ball back for Dmitri Torbinsky to draw a good save from Boruc, Lee Naylor clearing the ball before it made its way over the line.

But there was great drama in the 25th minute when the visitors were awarded a rather soft penalty after Boruc's save from Welliton's angled drive bounced off the arm of the prostrate Mark Wilson.

Pavluchenko stepped up to take the spot-kick but with Boruc going the wrong way, he crashed the ball off the post and away it sped to safety.

Three minutes later the visitors were punished for the miss when, out of the blue, McDonald fired Celtic ahead.

With no real danger imminent Spartak defender Roman Shishkin mis-kicked a clearance straight to the feet of the Celtic striker who prodded the ball quickly past the lifeless Pletikosa.

There was more drama to come. In the final seconds Pavluchenko grabbed an equaliser when he took a Mozart corner on his chest at the back post, taking Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink and Wilson out of the equation, and volleyed low past Boruc from close range.

There were amazing scenes at the half-time whistle when Boruc and Naylor had to be separated by Gary Caldwell as they squared up to each other.

The pair were still remonstrating with each other as they came off but peace appeared to have broken out as the Hoops reappeared for the second half.

In the closing stages of an intriguing second period, Celtic's fitness took over. In the 79th minute McDonald should have scored when McGeady put him clean through but the former Motherwell striker's low, right-footed effort from 12 yards was weak and Pletikosa easily saved.

Shunsuke Nakamura missed another great chance moments later when he was clean through only for the Japan international to drive straight at the Spartak keeper. In the 84th minute Spartak defender Stranzl was shown a straight red for a 'last man' tackle on Vennegoor of Hesselink 30 yards from goal.

In the 115th minute there was more excitement when Vennegoor of Hesselink struck the bar with a penalty after Radoslav Kovac had blocked a Scott Brown shot which resulted in a dramatic penalty shoot-out.

Gary Caldwell, Vennegoor of Hesselink, substitutes Maciej Zurawski and Derek Riordan scored for Celtic with Shunsuke Nakamura hitting the crossbar.

Mozart netted as did Pavlyuchenko and Florin Soava with Titov's effort saved by Boruc.

Then Boruc saved Spartak's fifth penalty from substitute Kalynychenko to spark off wild scenes of delight inside Celtic Park.