Celtic revived their Europa League campaign with a dramatic 3-2 comeback victory over Besiktas at Celtic Park on Thursday. Substitutes Callum Osmand and Camilo Duran scored key late goals to overturn a deficit and deliver the club's first points in the competition this season.
Martin O'Neill's side had made a disastrous start. Jordan Lotomba, making his first start for the club, gave away a penalty after 54 minutes which Junior Olaitan converted for Besiktas. The visitors dictated play for long periods, with Leandro Trossard a constant threat. Celtic struggled to create clear chances, with a Liam Scales header being their best effort of the first half.
O'Neill's changes turned the game. Callum Osmand was introduced and scored just 43 seconds after coming on, latching onto a pass from Callum McGregor to equalise. The momentum shifted decisively twelve minutes from time. Osmand turned provider, slipping in Camilo Duran who rounded the goalkeeper to finish and put Celtic ahead. Besiktas levelled almost immediately through a stunning Orkun Kökçü strike from distance, but Duran had the final say, firing home his second and Celtic's winner just two minutes later.
"It's a lot harder starting games," Osmand told reporters after the match. "The team dug in, stayed strong and we got our rewards.
The win provides a vital confidence boost ahead of a return to domestic action. Celtic sit first in the Premiership with 28 points from 12 games, holding a four-point lead at the top of the standings. Their record of nine wins, one draw and two losses has them four points clear of Rangers. They have scored 27 goals and conceded only 10 in the league this season. Duran, the match-winner, is also the team's top scorer this season with seven goals in twelve appearances across all competitions.
Manager Martin O'Neill will take satisfaction from a European result that has long evaded his team this campaign. The victory keeps Celtic's slim hopes of progression alive, though they likely need six to eight more points from their remaining four matches, which include tough away trips. The team now looks to build on this momentum when they host Kilmarnock this weekend.
This European success follows a mixed run of recent results. They had beaten Hibernian 2-1 on Sunday 25 October, but lost 2-1 at home to Celta Vigo on Thursday 22 October. Prior to that, they thrashed Heart of Midlothian 7-1 on Sunday 18 October.
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Mika Baur reflected on the win over Besiktas on November 7. The midfielder said the belief within the squad had never wavered despite recent results. "The belief and the way we work together as a team has always been good," Baur stated. He credited the substitutes and the Celtic Park support for the turnaround. Baur, a summer signing, has been a consistent performer for the side, which sits first in the Premiership with 28 points from 12 games.
On November 7, manager Martin O'Neill confirmed the victory over Besiktas prevented him from becoming the first Celtic manager to lose five straight European games. The club, which sits first in the Premiership with 28 points from 12 games, avoided that record with the 3-2 comeback win. O'Neill stated the result "should also lower the temperature in the ongoing feud between the directors and the fanbase for a few days at least."
On November 7, Turkish broadcaster Onur Yildiz reacted to Celtic's 3-2 win over Besiktas. Yildiz claimed Celtic would not finish in the top ten of the Turkish Super Lig. "If Celtic played in our league... And finished in the top ten, I’ll change my name," Yildiz said. He also singled out Besiktas winger Vaclav Cerny, stating the player was kept on too long. The win, which featured goals from Callum Osmand and Camilo Duran, improved Celtic's recent form to two wins, one draw and two losses from their last five matches.
