Celtic 2-1 Lazio: Christopher Jullien header seals priceless win
- Published
Christopher Jullien's towering header snatched victory for Celtic
Christopher Jullien glanced in a towering header two minutes from time as Celtic came from behind to earn a potentially priceless Europa League win against Lazio.
Trailing to Manuel Lazzari's opener, Celtic faced slipping to third in the group with a trip to Rome to come. However, Ryan Christie swept in the equaliser with 23 minutes remaining before Jullien rose highest to head in.
And, in a frantic finish, Fraser Forster's stunning stop denied Danilo Cataldi to keep Celtic top of Group E.
The victory, coupled with Cluj's 1-0 win in Rennes, means Neil Lennon's side lead the way with seven points from three games, a point ahead of the Romanian champions.
Lazio are a further three points back, with Rennes propping up the section with just one point so far.
Breathless Celtic walk tactical tightrope
Much of the build-up had focused on the subject of racism after Lazio were ordered to close four sections of the Stadio Olimpico for the return match against Celtic in two weeks after racist behaviour in their previous match against Rennes.
Neil Lennon said he would support his players if they walked off in the face of abuse, and midfielder Christie echoed those sentiments, and when a section of Lazio fans were pictured making fascist salutes in Glasgow pre-match there was apprehension of another disturbing night. But, thankfully, the focus became the hugely absorbing tactical battle on the pitch.
This display perfectly illustrated Celtic's approach under Lennon. It's a high risk, high-reward strategy which involves commendable commitment to fast-paced attack and a high press which causes teams problems, but also leaves them regularly exposed.
On the evidence of the first half, it would have been described as naive, given how a much-changed Lazio side expertly absorbed Celtic's fast start, while patiently waiting for their own opportunity to strike, and when it came they ruthlessly exposed their over-zealous hosts.
As Christie rifled a shot into two defenders, Celtic's left-back Boli Bolingoli was entering the Lazio box and, seconds later, Joaquin Correra slipped through Lazzari, who finished brilliantly across Forster having bust a gut to occupy the precise spot where Bolingoli - or at least a covering midfielder- ought to have been.
There was no evidence of a change of approach initially after the break, and the opening 15 minutes of the second period yielded more of the same. The definition of madness is how one might have reflected at the time. But as Celtic continued to pour forward, the madness increasingly came with method.
Moments before Christie beautifully side-footed the equaliser past Thomas Strakosha, the Scotland midfielder had been denied by the Lazio goalkeeper after he and Mohamed Elyounoussi's ferocious pressing gave Odsonne Edouard the opportunity to set him up.
When Edouard did the same for the leveller, Celtic were building momentum and Lazio, so composed in defence for 60 minutes, looked rattled.
But the hosts' vulnerability never vanished. Correra rattled a post at 1-0 after Lazio countered and Forster pulled off two incredible stops to first deny Marco Parolo from putting Lazio back in front and then Cataldi from equalising in the dying seconds. Celtic were walking the thinnest of tightropes.
But surviving those late scares, coupled with Jullien's towering, thundering header, meant it was a night where Celtic can reflect on a tightrope expertly walked, and a win that could prove crucial in securing passage to the knockout stages. High risk, high reward.
Man of the match - Christopher Jullien
BBC Scotland's Kheredine Idessane at Celtic Park
Several players caught the eye, on both sides, at various stages. Lazio were fabulously fluid going forward with Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Correa and Lazzari giving Celtic all sorts of problems on the counter-attack.
For Celtic, Christie impressed in flashes, not least with his goal. Hatem Elhamed also had a fine game, solid in defence and skilful in attack, with some delightful first-half flicks and tricks. And there were also two fabulous saves from Fraser Forster. But one player towered above the rest, and not just because he's not far off two metres tall. Jullien didn't put a foot wrong all night.
Commanding in the air, great with the ball at his feet, and with a superb range of passing that turned defence into attack on more than one occasion, the French centre-back can feel very happy with his performance. He was deemed not quite ready, or fit enough, for the Champions League qualification defeat by Cluj but, since then, he has grown game by game. The £7m investment looks well spent.
Match stats
Celtic are the first Scottish club to win against an Italian side since October 2007 (also Celtic v AC Milan 2-1 in Champions League)
Lazio have lost six of their past seven Europa League games, with the only exception a 2-1 victory against Rennes.
Celtic (W2 D1) have avoided defeat in their opening three games of a Europa League campaign for the first time since 2014-15
Lazio have conceded in each of their past 13 European games; their longest ever run without a clean sheet
Lazzari's goal was his first in 47 games in all competitions, since netting for SPAL in Serie A in March 2018
Christie is the first Celtic player to both score and assist in a European game (excluding qualifiers) since Paul McGowan against Rapid Vienna in December 2009.