Evander Sno gets away from Mikel John ObiGary Caldwell fired Celtic into an early lead as the Scottish champions drew first blood in the friendly Battle of Britain at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho had warned fans to expect a distinct difference in match-sharpness between the two teams.
His point was proven in the 10th minute when Caldwell caught Wayne Bridge napping at a corner to put the Bhoys ahead.
But Shaun Wright-Phillips rifled in an equaliser seconds before half-time.
For Mourinho's team, it was a third friendly game in a third different country in five days.
Celtic, already two games into their league season, squeezed the game into their domestic calendar.
Gordon Strachan picked six of the team who had started the 2-1 defeat to Hearts on Sunday.
There was no Stilian Petrov and Maciej Zurawski was on the bench as the champions of England and Scotland met.
Celtic's former Chelsea midfielder Jiri Jarosik was welcomed back by Blues fans.
Stamford Bridge was less than half full despite the usual noisy contingent of Celtic fans.
Strachan's team were in control from the kick-off and Caldwell beat Bridge to an inswinging corner and toe-poked it past Carlo Cudicini from close range.
Bridge, back at Chelsea after six months on loan at Fulham, had earlier made a good saving tackle to halt a run by Shunsuke Nakamura but he was slow off the mark for the goal.
Tracksuited Mourinho appeared on the touchline in a bid to stir his team into action and it had the desired effect.
Artur Boruc could not hold onto a fierce drive from Frank Lampard which took a slight deflection in the 12th minute.
Didier Drogba, who looked most dangerous for the Blues in the first half, barged clear of the Celtic defence and tested Boruc again.
The Polish keeper made another excellent block and Drogba blasted the rebound over the bar.
Mikel John Obi showed some neat touches in midfield and good vision to release Arjen Robben down the Chelsea left.
The Dutch winger cut inside on the edge of the area but ran into a crowd of defenders.
Mikel also produced a high tackle on Jarosik which sparked memories of Michael Essien's early days at Stamford Bridge.
Poll let the Nigerian teenager off with a lecture but then booked Celtic's Mark Wilson for a foul on Robben and then Ricardo Carvalho for upending Jarosik.
The cards provoked sarcastic cheers from the crowd who remember the three yellow cards shown by Poll to Croatia's Josip Simunic in the World Cup.
Boruc made another fine reflex save when Mikel deflected a swerving free-kick from Lampard towards goal.
Again the Pole could not hold the ball and his defence helped clear the danger.
Kenny Miller went close for Celtic before half-time and Jarosik planted a header over the bar.
Wright-Phillips levelled the scores on the stroke of half-time when he cut in from the left and unleashed a low drive into the bottom corner.
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