Celtic kept their Europa League hopes alive with a dramatic 3-2 comeback win over Besiktas at Celtic Park, as substitutes Callum Osmand and Camilo Duran produced late goals to overturn an early deficit.
Besiktas took the lead when Junior Olaitan bundled in the rebound from his own penalty, leaving Celtic's campaign on the brink. But Osmand equalised just 43 seconds after coming on, and Duran made it 2-1 with 12 minutes remaining. Emirhan Kokcu's rocket looked to have earned the visitors a point, but Duran struck again three minutes from time to secure a first Europa League win of the season for Celtic.
O'Neill's Bold Team Selection Raises Eyebrows
Manager Martin O'Neill made several surprising changes, handing defender Jordan Lotomba his first start after just 31 minutes of action across three substitute appearances. Sebastian Tounekti and James Forrest also started on the flanks, while Camilo Duran and Haissem Hassan were left on the bench.
The team sheet suggested a focus on Saturday's clash with Kilmarnock, despite O'Neill insisting Europe had his full attention. The decision to field fringe players did little to lift spirits in the far-from-full stands, with frustration already high following the Champions League collapse to LASK and three straight Europa League defeats.
A Night of Highs and Lows
The match evoked memories of Celtic's famous victory over RB Leipzig two years ago to the night, which was meant to signal lift-off rather than a glass ceiling. This time, Celtic Park groaned and growled for much of the match, with former Celtic striker Oh Hyeon-gyu and ex-Rangers man Vaclav Cerny lining up for Besiktas.
Celtic showed early promise when Benjamin Nygren fired over after a brilliant drive from Kieran Tierney, but Besiktas controlled possession and Leandro Trossard dictated play before half-time. Kasper Hogh was isolated up front, while Tounekti repeatedly ran into traffic instead of advancing the play.
Second-Half Drama Seals Victory
Besiktas raised the tempo after the interval, and Celtic imploded after 54 minutes when Lotomba was turned inside out and pulled down Ernest Poku in the box. Johnstone saved the initial penalty but Olaitan bundled in the rebound.
O'Neill turned to his bench, and Osmand made an immediate impact, wriggling into space on the edge of the box before slotting into the bottom corner. Duran then raced clear and bypassed goalkeeper Alexander Nubel to make it 2-1, and after Topcu's blast from 20 yards levelled the scores, Duran kept his cool to tuck away the winner from close range amid late fireworks, easing some of the pressure on the manager.
