Celtic player ratings v Besiktas: game-changers produce late fireworks as trio of starters struggle

There were fireworks aplenty at Celtic Park on Bonfire Night as Martin O’Neill’s side produced a stunning late turnaround to claim a dramatic 3-2 victory over Besiktas and finally get their Europa League campaign up and running.

For long spells, this looked destined to be another miserable European evening for the Scottish champions. A dismal first-half performance was followed by Jordan Lotomba’s penalty concession and Junior Olaitan’s opener, leaving the Hoops staring down the barrel of a fourth consecutive league phase defeat.

However, the second-half introduction of Callum Osmand and Camilo Duran changed the complexion of the contest, with the substitutes turning a seemingly lost cause into a memorable comeback victory.

Osmand equalised before Duran struck twice, including an 87th-minute winner, after Orkun Kokcu had threatened to spoil the party with a stunning long-range effort.

It was a result Celtic desperately craved. Their European campaign had been in danger of unravelling after three successive defeats, following on from their failure to negotiate Champions League qualification against LASK. O’Neill had previously insisted there should be no ceiling on his side's continental ambitions, but with the games beginning to run out, this was effectively a must-win encounter.

Besiktas arrived in Glasgow in considerably better shape, sitting eighth in the 36-team standings after victories over Marseille and Hoffenheim and a draw with Crystal Palace. Celtic, meanwhile, were looking to avoid four consecutive defeats in major European competition for the first time since December 2017.

There were familiar faces in the visiting ranks, too. Vaclav Cerny returned to Parkhead following his controversial water-bottle incident involving Celtic supporters during Rangers’ 3-2 victory in March last year. Former Hoops striker Oh Hyeon-gyu also featured, while ex-Rangers defender Ridvan Yilmaz was named among the substitutes.

Fireworks provided some pre-match spectacle, but the atmosphere inside Parkhead was subdued, with a sparse home support reflecting the growing discontent surrounding the club.

The opening exchanges offered little to lift the mood. Celtic struggled to build any real momentum, while the loudest reaction from the home support came whenever Cerny found himself in possession.

The visitors gradually assumed control as Celtic struggled to keep hold of the ball. By the 39th minute, O’Neill's men had registered just two touches inside the opposition penalty area. Nygren's air shot inside the Besiktas box shortly before the interval provided an unfortunate summary of Celtic's attacking frustrations.

Celtic's evening took a turn for the worse in the 52nd minute. Jordan Lotomba, on his first start at right-back, made a rash sliding challenge on Poku right on the edge of the penalty area, with the contact occurring on the line. The referee had little hesitation in pointing to the spot.

Johnstone initially produced an excellent save to deny Olaitan, but the goalkeeper was left helpless as the Besiktas forward reacted quickest to convert the rebound.

At that stage, Celtic looked short of ideas and confidence, with the prospect of a fourth straight European defeat looming large.

Then came the turning point. O’Neill introduced Osmand, and the youngster needed just 43 seconds to make his mark. McGregor threaded a delightful reverse pass into his path, allowing the 20-year-old to take one touch before drilling a composed finish into the bottom corner.

The goal sparked an immediate transformation. Celtic suddenly had purpose and aggression, with the crowd responding to the renewed energy on the pitch. Scales went close to levelling matters when his deflected header was superbly clawed over the crossbar by Nubel, while Nygren subsequently dragged another opportunity narrowly wide after being picked out by Osmand.

Celtic's second goal felt increasingly inevitable. It arrived in the 78th minute, with Duran providing the finishing touch to another excellent attacking move. Having been shifted into the central striking position, the Colombian immediately demonstrated what he could offer through the middle, timing his run perfectly to latch onto Osmand's pass, round Nubel and slot into the unguarded net.

The hosts looked capable of adding to their tally in the closing stages, but Besiktas had one final response. Captain Orkun Kokcu, introduced from the bench, unleashed a sensational effort from around 25 yards that flew into the bottom-left corner, leaving Johnstone with no chance.

It was a devastating blow so late in the contest, but Celtic were not finished. Just two minutes later, Duran once again found space behind the visitors defence as Tierney's effort fell invitingly into his path. The Colombian showed excellent footwork to bring the ball under control before stabbing it beyond Nubel and restoring Celtic's lead.

This time, there would be no way back for the visitors. There is still plenty of ground to make up in the Europa League standings, but Celtic have at least given themselves something to build on with this result.

We give each player a mark out of ten for their display.