Celtic cure insomnia before subs make the difference to spark Europa League lift-off

Celtic are up and running in the Europa League at the fourth time of asking after a crucial 3-2 home win over Besiktas.

After losing their opening three games, Celtic needed a positive result against the Turkish side and showed fortitude to come back from a goal down to breathe life into their aspirations of reaching the knock-out stages.

They were thankful for supersubs Callum Osmand and Camilo Duran, who came on to rescue the match for Celtic in an action-packed second half following Besiktas' 54th-minute opener. The win leaves Celtic in 32nd place with three points at the halfway stage of the main phase.

Celtic travel to Torreense of Portugal and Cypriot outfit Omonia later this year before matches against Marseille (home) and Union (away) in January. They can head into those fixtures with some optimism after a much-needed victory, only their fourth in 11 matches across all competitions.

Manager Martin O'Neill came into this match under pressure following Sunday's 2-0 defeat by Falkirk. The 74-year-old rotated his team, giving rare starts to right-back Jordan Lotomba and winger James Forrest, and introduced his key players at the right time.

The first half could have been bottled up and used as an insomnia cure. Celtic had one shot and two legitimate touches in the Besiktas penalty box. The Turkish side did little of note either, their former Rangers winger Vaclav Cerny routinely jeered.

Mercifully, the second half was far better.

Besiktas took the lead on 54 in calamitous circumstances. Celtic goalkeeper Sam Johnstone walloped a clearance off Leandro Trossard and the ball squirted to Ernest Poku. He absolutely skinned Lotomba, who chopped down the winger with his flailing attempt to salvage the situation. It was a clear spot-kick and while Johnstone partially redeemed himself by saving Olaitan's powerful penalty, the ball spun into the sky and towards the goal, where Olaitan followed up to tap home.

Lotomba tried to recover with a surging run from his own penalty box on 59 minutes that got the home crowd briefly energised. It was his last act, replaced by Colby Donovan on the hour mark. Duran and Osmand were also brought on for Forrest and Sebastien Tounekti.

Osmand did more in the first minute of action than the powderpuff Tounekti did in 60. The Englishman immediately made an impact, with Callum McGregor seizing on a loose ball and feeding the forward to find the bottom corner of Alexander Nubel's goal with an accurate strike. Celtic had something to build upon.

Besiktas had played comfortably up until this point but now looked a little rattled. Celtic embarked on their best period of the match. Nubel reacted smartly on 67 minutes to save a netbound Liam Scales header. Benjamin Nygren whistled an effort just over the bar eight minutes later. Suddenly the game was there for Celtic.

The ineffective striker Kasper Hogh was subbed off for Haissem Hassan as O'Neill turned to the Egyptian to unlock the Besiktas defence. But it was two earlier subs who made the difference again on 77 minutes, with Osmand slipping Duran in for the Colombian to round Nubel and send Celtic Park wild.

Celtic now had to hold on but their resistance was pierced by a vicious strike from Besiktas sub Orkun Kokcu from 25 yards on 86 minutes that fizzed beyond Johnstone and into the net. Never mind, though, when Duran is in town. The Colombian took in a sclaffed cross from Kieran Tierney a minute later and netted.

And this time, it was job done. Celtic Park roared its approval at full time.