CELTIC came from behind to stun Lazio and remain top of their Europa League group on a dramatic and memorable night at Celtic Park.

A stunning goal on the break late in the first half from Lazio’s Manuel Lazzari was cancelled out by Ryan Christie, rather fittingly on the 67th minute, given it was another special European night against Italian opposition for Celtic.

That was confirmed two minutes from time, as Chris Jullien rose imperiously to meet a Christie corner and head the ball into the bottom corner of the Lazio net to lift the roof off Celtic Park.

Celtic started well and a clever link-up between Hatem Elhamed and James Forrest sent the latter scampering away down the right to cross for Odsonne Edouard, but the Frenchman’s effort on the turn was crowded out.

It was frantic in the stands and on the pitch, and the visitors looked a little bewildered by it all as Christie then sent a rasping shot from distance narrowly wide via the outside of the post.

Just as Lazio looked a little punch-drunk though, they steadied themselves to fashion their first opportunity to test Fraser Forster, Joaquin Correa’s strike from 20 yards being dealt with a little clumsily by the Celtic keeper, but he kept it out nonetheless.

Visitors to Celtic Park normally come away waxing lyrical about the atmosphere on European nights, but Lazio fans probably wouldn’t have appreciated the warmth of the welcome the Celtic support then extended to them, unveiling a banner in Italian telling them in no uncertain terms where to go on account of their reputation for racism.

It all got a bit spikey on the park after that too until Christopher Jullien broke out of defence to show a bit of quality, pinging a brilliant 70-yard pass into the path of Edouard, but Bastos did superbly well to marshal the ball to safety.

From nothing though, Lazio then cut Celtic apart with a lightning counter-attack to take the lead five minutes before the break.

A Christie shot was blocked on the edge of the Lazio area and they sprang to life, with the ball being fed quickly to Marco Parolo in midfield who waited for the perfect moment to release Lazzari in behind Kristoffer Ajer with Boli Bolingoli posted missing. The Norwegian did his best to narrow the angle, but the winger produced a high finish past Forster at his near post.

Celtic looked to still be shaken by that goal at the start of the second half as they struggled to regain their composure, but Christie tried to carry the fight as he charged down a free-kick deep in Lazio territory and caused panic stations in the visiting backline.

Goalkeeper Thomas Strakosha was caught out of his goal in the resulting stramash, but managed to scramble back in time to block Christie’s goalbound effort after a clever backheel from Edouard.

It was end-to-end now as only a brilliant intervention from Francesco Acerbi denied Edoaurd a clean run at goal, before Lazio broke and Sergej Malinkovic-Savic split the home defence to send Correa through. The forward sidestepped Ajer and beat Forster, but his effort came back off the post much to Celtic’s relief.

It was to prove a crucial moment. Seconds later, the ball was nestling in the Lazio net.

Edouard picked up the ball on the left of the visitor’s box, and as defenders backed off, he lifted his head to pick out a cutback for Christie who swept home from 12 yards to send Celtic Park wild.

Simone Inzaghi sent for main man Ciro Immobile off the bench, but it was goalscorer Lazarri that created the next opportunity, getting in behind Bolingoli again to cross for Parolo, but from six yards out the Lazio skipper was denied by a brilliant Forster save, the keeper spreading himself to block with a foot.

There was another let-off for Celtic as Felipe Caicedo’s backheel put Immobile of all people clean in on goal, but the striker uncharacteristically pulled his shot wide.

It just seemed to be one of those nights where magic was in the air for Celtic, and the moment arrived for them with two minutes remaining.

Forrest won a corner on the right which Christie hung up beautifully, and the man who wanted it more was Jullien, rising to glance the ball into the net. It was no more than the big defender deserved for a wonderful individual showing.

The drama wasn’t over there though, and substitute Danilo Cataldi caught as sweet a volley as you could ever hope to see from 30 yards, only for Forster to pull off another magnificent save high to his right.

That was enough for Celtic to get three points that sees them remain at the top of Group E, and the wild celebrations at the end were a fitting finale to a remarkable night of drama in Glasgow’s East End.