Celtic come from behind to beat Besiktas 3-2 for first Europa League win

Celtic came from behind to beat Besiktas 3-2 at Celtic Park on Thursday, their first win in the Europa League. Two substitutes changed the night.

The BBC reported that Besiktas led 1-0 with an hour gone, and Celtic were heading for a fourth straight defeat in the competition. Manager Martin O'Neill then made two changes, bringing on Callum Osmand and Camilo Duran for Sebastian Tounekti and James Forrest.

Osmand scored with his first touch, 43 seconds after coming on. His goal, in the 61st minute, levelled the match at 1-1. It was a quick reply, and the home crowd got going.

The bigger question was up front. Kasper Hogh, the club-record signing from Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt, had not scored in 16 of his 17 Celtic appearances. Against Besiktas he had no shots in 77 minutes, and only one touch in the opposition box. O'Neill took him off at 77 minutes and moved Duran through the middle.

Duran made the move count straight away. Osmand played him through, and he rounded goalkeeper Alexander Nubel to put Celtic ahead. Besiktas hit back when Orkun Kokcu levelled. Two minutes later Duran struck the winner, turning in a scuffed shot from Kieran Tierney. A scuffed shot is one that is struck poorly but still goes in.

Duran became the first Celtic substitute to score twice in Europe, not counting qualifiers, since Johannes Edvaldsson against Jeunesse d'Esch in September 1977. In his 30 minutes on the pitch he had two shots, both goals, and four touches in the opposition box.

BBC analysis said Duran is Celtic's best option through the middle, ahead of Hogh. That is a striking view for a club that paid a record fee for a striker, and it will be a talking point in the coming weeks.

Duran has been in form for some time. He scored his 10th goal of the season in the 2-1 win over Hibernian in October, a result that put Celtic back four points clear at the top of the Scottish Premiership. Celtic had lost 2-0 at Falkirk in the league only days before this match. Osmand's goal against Hearts in October has also been nominated for the club's Goal of the Month.

The win lifts Celtic out of the bottom of their Europa League group's bad run, and it gives the squad a result to build on. Both goals from the bench were the work of players who had been waiting for their chance.