Jullien stands tall to strike winner in a thrilling finale as Lennon’s men come from behind to stun Italians

CELTIC are living La Dolce Vita in the Europa League this season.

A fine draw with Rennes away and an impressive win over Cluj at home had put them on top of Group E going into their encounter with Lazio.

But this joyous victory was by far the sweetest result they have savoured and increased hopes they can progress to the knockout rounds and possibly even the latter stages of the competition.

Manager Neil Lennon had anticipated the meeting with their revered Italian opponents would be the most demanding his side had faced and that certainly proved to be the case. Simone Inzaghi’s side exuded quality and stunned their hosts and silenced the home support when they took the lead against the run of play shortly before half time.

Yet, the Scottish champions showed an abundance of skill and resolve in the face of adversity to come back and prevail.

A Ryan Christie goal in the second half cancelled out the opener by Manuel Lazzari and Christopher Jullien sent the sell-out crowd wild with a minute of regulation time remaining when he rose and headed home a late winner.

Lazio underlined they will be difficult to overcome in Rome in a fortnight, despite having the Curva Nord section of the Stadio Olimpico closed down as a punishment for their fans’ misbehaviour. It took an exceptional one-handed save from Fraser Forester in injury time to deny them a point.

Celtic, though, will travel abroad, backed by an army of their own followers, confident of getting a result that will edge them a step closer to the last 32 after this remarkable triumph.

Roared on by the majority of the fans inside the stadium, they started positively and Odsonne Edouard had a shot blocked by Lazio centreback Bastos in just the third minute after some neat interplay between Hatem Elhamed and James Forrest on the right wing.

That, though, turned out to be their best attacking move of the first half. Despite dominating possession and applying constant pressure to the Lazio defence, their final ball was poor and Thomas Strakosha went untested. They ran into their opponents and lost possession or tried their luck at goal when that was clearly the wrong option far too often.

Christie has enjoyed great success shooting from distance this season – something he has been encouraged to do by a manager who quickly identified that as a major strength in his armoury – and the playmaker came within inches of netting in the 17th minute. His volley eluded the outstretched Strakosha and clipped the outside of the right post.

There were no obvious racist chants or fascist gestures from the 1500 or so away fans who were shoehorned into the corner between the Main Stand and the Lisbon Lions Stand. But their counterparts showed exactly what they thought of them midway through the first half. They unfurled a banner which read “Lazio Vaffanculo” and is best left untranslated.

Ciro Immobile, the Italy striker who is top-scorer in Serie A with nine goals in as many games, started on the bench. Whatever the reason for his omission, it was a major boost to the home team before kick-off. That said, with Joaquin Correa and Felipe

Caicedo up front together Lazio had two fairly decent players to lead the line.

Lennon had felt his back four would find facing a twin strikeforce unusual and demanding. Forster was tested early on – by a long-range attempt from Correa and a header from Bastos after a Jony corner – but the goalkeeper dealt with them both comfortably. At no stage did Celtic appear in danger of conceding.

So the opening goal, scored five minutes before half time, was a shock. However, Scott Brown and his team-mates only had themselves to blame. Their opponents had clearly set out to sit deep, contain and try to snatch something on the counter-attack. That was exactly what they did.

Caicedo supplied Correa and he advanced upfield while Lazzari made a lung-bursting run from deep outside him. Correa timed his pass to perfection and with Bolingoli posted missing the wing-back was unchallenged and rifled a shot beyond Forster at the near post. It was a well-worked goal by Lazio and a fine finish by Lazzari. But it was inexcusable defending by Celtic at this level.

The second half followed the same script as the first; Celtic pressurised Lazio without being able get in behind their rivals. Lennon realised he needed to make a change after Correa had broken clear of Kristoffer Ajer and Jullien and struck the left post in the 65th minute. He replaced Mohamed Elyounoussi, who had just been booked by match official Ivan Bebek for a professional foul, with Tom Rogic shortly afterwards.

His side levelled with the simplest of strikes in the 68th minute. Edouard received the ball from Callum McGregor. The striker edged into the opposition area before cutting back to Christie. With Denis Vavro standing off him he had the easiest of tasks to curl a left-foot shot beyond Strakosha.

Inzaghi responded by putting on Immobile for Correa. Celtic were fortunate it was Marco Parolo, not their talismanic forward, who got on the end of a Lazzari cut-back with 10 minute of regulation time remaining. But Forster did brilliantly to deny the midfielder and atone for his earlier lapse in concentration.

Elhamed limped off injured with seven minutes left on the clock and Nir Bitton took over at right-back. Immobile immediately went close. Jonny Hayes then took to the field

as Bolingoli was substituted. Then came the dramatic finale.

Christie whipped a corner into the Lazio area in the 89th minute and Jullien did brilliantly to turn it into the bottom left corner.

Might well feel he could have done better at Lazio’s goal after he was beaten at his near post by Manuel Lazzari’s effort but excellent close range save to deny Marco Parolo in the second period.

One first-half moment in which a deft bit of skill took him past Jony and acquitted himself well after going back into the right-back slot.

Continues to look the part. Some beautiful passes out of defence and straight to the feet of the Celtic attackers. Excellent header to win it.

The young Norwegian saw the danger before Lazio scored but by that point the Italians were already well on their way. Was relieved to see Joaquin Correa’s effort come off the post after the striker had turned inside him.

Decent performance in an attacking sense but blotted his copybook as Lazio took the lead down his side as he was high up the pitch. Too slow to get back to cover as Celtic’s attack broke down and the Seria A side broke at pace.

Did his best to lead by example. One particularly important second-half block in his own box as he got back to aid with the defensive dirty work.

Seemed off it. Scorned two decent first-half opportunities and was never really involved.

Full of energy in the middle of the park. Decked by Bastos as the defender went straight through the back of him.

Excellent. Goal and an assist, both deserving on a night in which he worked his socks off. Got Celtic on level terms and then delivered the corner for Julien to head the winner.

Tried to set an early tone for the night as he teed up Edouard with a quick ball into the striker’s feet. Faded as the game went on but couldn’t be faulted for effort.

One neat back heel into the path of Christie shortly after the restart but announced himself in the game with the ball straight to Christie that gave Celtic their leveller.

Group E