Celtic 3-2 Lille: Neil Lennon's side end Europa League campaign with first win
- Published
David Turnbull and Callum McGregor both scored for Celtic
Celtic ended their Europa League campaign by beating Lille to earn a first victory in Group H and relieve a little of the pressure on Neil Lennon.
David Turnbull scored the winner in a rare start, having set up Christopher Jullien's first-half opener before Callum McGregor netted a penalty.
Jonathan Ikone and Timothy Weah twice pulled goals back for the French side, who had already reached the last 32.
But Celtic responded to end a run of five games without a win.
Nevertheless, they finish the group stage having conceded 19 goals - only Slovan Bratislava (2014/15) and Vardar (2017/18) have shipped more at that stage in the competition's history.
Lille miss out on being seeded in Monday's draw - so could play Rangers - after AC Milan's 1-0 win over Sparta Prague.
These two sides drew 2-2 on matchday two and, while Lille have continued in an upward trajectory since coming from two goals behind in France, Celtic have gone in the opposite direction.
Given the pressure mounting on Lennon after only two wins in eight games since then - and five in a row without a victory - the manager's decision to make so many changes could be read as brave by some, but as a sign of desperation or resignation by others.
Giving 22-year-old goalkeeper Conor Hazard a debut ahead of Vasilis Barkas and Scott Bain was the headline grabber, but it was rare starts handed to Turnbull, Ismaila Soro and Patryk Klimala that had the greater impact.
Lille looked the more dangerous in the early stages, but it was Polish striker Klimala who provided the first test for either goalkeeper with a snap shot from just inside the penalty box.
As Celtic maintained the pressure, midfielder Turnbull's inswinging corner flicked off the head of Jullien at the front post, deceived goalkeeper Mike Maignan and flashed into the net.
Scoring has not been a problem in the Europe League for Celtic, but they went into this game having conceded more than any team in the group stage. And their fragility at the back - and knack of surrendering leads - returned within seconds.
McGregor's poor back-pass allowed Yusuf Yazici to set up Ikone, who scored Lille's equaliser the last time the sides met, for an easy tap-in at the front post.
But then it was midfielder McGregor's turn to make amends, his precise spot kick completing a spell of three goals within seven minutes after Jeremie Frimpong was tripped by Domagoj Bradaric following a clever Turnbull through ball.
Former Celtic loanee Weah looked to have come back to haunt his former side when he volleyed in from 15 yards after the break, but Turnbull steered in his first Celtic goal after a fine run from Kristoffer Ajer.
Man of the match - David Turnbull
Turnbull had a hand in all three goals and scored his first for Celtic in what was only his second start
What did we learn?
Lennon has been hesitant to give Turnbull and Soro game time, but both proved to be inspired introductions on this occasion.
Turnbull was the bundle of energy, strength and creativity that led Celtic to pay Motherwell around £3m for the 21-year-old. A year older, Soro was handed his first start since joining from Israeli side Bnei Yehuda in January and slotted seamlessly into the midfield holding role in place of Scott Brown.
Hazard - with one fine stop denying Lille a third equaliser - Klimala, and 20-year-old midfield substitute Euan Henderson will not have done their case of starting at home to Kilmarnock on Sunday any harm.
Lille were not at full strength, but Rangers will surely not be fearful of drawing the side sitting second in Ligue 1 in the last 32.
Match stats
Celtic ended a run of eight Europa League matches without a win (D2 L6) since beating Rennes in November 2019.
This was Lille's first Europa League defeat of the season
Celtic have conceded in their last 12 Europa League matches, shipping 28 goals since last keeping a clean sheet in the competition.
Turnbull is the third Celtic player to record a goal and assist in the Europa League and the youngest to do so (21y 153d).
McGregor ended a run of 21 Europa League matches without a goal, since scoring in February 2018 against Zenit.
Weah scored his first goal in a major European competition, 21 years and 37 days after his father George Weah's last for AC Milan against Galatasaray in the Champions League.
What's next?
Celtic must now concentrate on domestic league duty and narrowing that 13-point gap with Scottish Premiership leaders Rangers, starting on Sunday at home against Kilmarnock (15:00 GMT).
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