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By Andy Campbell
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 Sandaza's double put Dundee United into the lead
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Celtic and Dundee United shared four goals in a thrilling Scottish Premier League encounter at Tannadice.
Scott McDonald took advantage of uncertainty in the home defence to head Celtic ahead on 23 minutes.
United levelled early in the second half when Francisco Sandaza nodded high into the net and the Spaniard fired the home side in front after 58 minutes.
Lee Naylor volleyed Celtic level with nine minutes remaining and neither side could force a late winner.
The result means SPL leaders Celtic missed the chance to go five points clear of Rangers with the gap between the Old Firm sides now three points. Meanwhile, United are five points behind third-place Hearts.
Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink had been named as Celtic captain in the absence of Stephen McManus and the Dutchman's low cross was inches away from the outstretched foot of strike partner McDonald in one of the visitors' early attacks.
Celtic took the lead after Paul Hartley's inswinging corner caused disarray in the United defence.
Warren Feeney inadvertently headed towards his own goal and Lukasz Zaluska's save bounced up onto the head of McDonald, who scrambled the ball into the net, despite the presence of Morgaro Gomis on the line.
The home side went in search of a quick reply and Craig Conway's near-post shot from Prince Buaben's cross drew a save from Boruc before Paul Dixon's free-kick effort drifted wide.
Zaluska, who has agreed to join Celtic next season, made an excellent save from McDonald's low drive and Aiden McGeady fired wide after stealing the ball from Dixon and racing towards goal.
 Naylor's second Celtic goal secured a point for the visitors
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United struggled to cope with another Celtic corner in the closing minutes of the half and Gomis cleared off the line from Vennegoor of Hesselink's header.
The hosts looked rejuvenated after the interval and quickly restored parity when Dixon's near-post corner was met by Sandaza's glancing header.
The match began to ebb from one end to the other with Boruc saving well from Sandaza and Mihael Kovacevic either side of a Shunsuke Nakamura free-kick which narrowly missed the United goal.
Dixon and Sandaza combined once again to give United the lead with the Spaniard slamming the ball into the bottom corner from the full-back's intelligent cutback.
McDonald was booked for dissent before blazing over from a promising position inside the box.
The Tannadice side continued to threaten with Gomis evading two defenders and driving narrowly wide from the edge of the box.
Celtic found their rhythm again and McDonald's angled shot was beaten away powerfully by Zaluska.
Sandaza was prevented from completing a hat-trick when Boruc got down to smother the striker's header.
Confusion reigned in the United defence again when Naylor lofted a long throw-in towards the six-yard box but Gary Caldwell could not find the target with a snapshot.
But Celtic were level within seconds as Garry Kenneth's wayward header allowed Naylor to hammer the ball past Zaluska from the edge of the box.
And the Celtic full-back made another crucial contribution in injury time when he headed substitute Jon Daly's goal-bound overhead kick to safety as both sides were forced to accept a point.
Dundee United manager Craig Levein:
"I'm really pleased with the way the players played, particularly in the second half.
"We tried to pass the ball, do things properly, be entertaining and most importantly try and win the match.
"I always think if you're in front with 10 minutes to go then draw, it feels like you've dropped points rather than gained points.
"But Celtic are a good side. They've proved that all season and if the game had finished in a 2-1 victory for ourselves then they might have argued that they had chances to get a point and I couldn't argue with that.
"We had chances to maybe increase our lead so I'm a little bit disappointed, not with the players and their effort, but just with the result.
"We were leading and we were doing enough to win the game. Even at the end, Jon Daly's had an overhead kick which was net-bound and it was deflected over."
Celtic manager Gordon Strachan:
"We won a point back, we lost two.
"It was a fantastic game. It had everything. That game was fit for a stadium filled with 100,000 people.
"That was our best performance this season against Dundee United in the league. We made more chances today.
"I thought the forwards were good today, the midfield was fine. Not everyone was functioning fully but I think that added to the game.
"Lee Naylor's goal was a terrific strike. I doubt very much if he'll hit a better one in his career."
Dundee Utd: Zaluska, Kovacevic, Wilkie, Kenneth, Dixon, Wesolowski (David Robertson 87), Buaben, Gomis, Conway (Swanson 83), Feeney (Daly 84), Sandaza.
Subs Not Used: McGovern, Dillon, Shala, Goodwillie.
Booked: Feeney.
Goals: Sandaza 47, 58.
Celtic: Boruc, Hinkel, Caldwell, O'Dea, Naylor, Nakamura (Flood 61), Hartley, Scott Brown, McGeady, McDonald, Vennegoor of Hesselink (Samaras 75).
Subs Not Used: Mark Brown, Wilson, Misun, Crosas, Mizuno.
Booked: McDonald.
Goals: McDonald 24, Naylor 81.
Att: 12,043
Ref: S Conroy
BBC Sport Player Rater man of the match: Dundee United's Francisco Sandaza 9.75 (on 90 minutes).
Please note that you can still give the players marks out of 10 on BBC Sport's Player Rater after the match has finished.
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