Martin O’Neill’s Celtic side secured their first UEFA Europa League victory of the campaign on Thursday night, overturning a deficit to deliver a vital victory over Besiktas at Celtic Park. Having entered the fixture without a point following three straight European defeats, the Hoops mounted a dramatic second-half comeback to hand the Turkish outfit their first defeat of the league phase. Besiktas had arrived in Glasgow unbeaten after matches against Marseille, Hoffenheim, and Crystal Palace, but was unable to withstand Celtic’s spirited resurgence after the interval.
The match turned decisively on the hour mark when O’Neill introduced 20-year-old Callum Osmand from the bench. Osmand produced an immediate impact, scoring a stunning goal with his very first touch to bring Celtic back into the contest. The young forward then turned provider shortly after, delivering a perfectly weighted pass for Camilo Duran to score the match-winner, capping off a brilliant tactical intervention by the Celtic manager.
Former Celtic striker Chris Sutton praised O’Neill for silencing critics who had voiced skepticism regarding his squad selection and European ambitions. After enduring heavy scrutiny following Celtic’s difficult start to the continental campaign, O’Neill’s calculated substitutions delivered the ultimate response. The high-stakes triumph earns Celtic their first three points of the tournament and breathes fresh momentum into their European campaign.
