Celtic end 50-year winless run and reach last 32 of Europa League as they cruise to historic victory in Italy

CELTIC finally ended a 12-game winless run on Italian soil that stretched back 50 years with an extraordinary victory over Lazio last night.

Amid incredible scenes in Rome, the Scottish champions laid to rest their historic failure to overcome the likes of AC Milan, Fiorentina, Inter, Juventus and Udinese.

Despite recovering after losing an early goal, Neil Lennon’s squad created a plethora of scoring chances and dominated long spells of the match in the Stadio Olimpico.

And it looked as though Celtic would have to settle for a draw and a point for their efforts.

But, in the fifth and final minute of injury time, Olivier Ntcham secured the richly deserved triumph.

Ntcham, who had come on for Ryan Christie in the second half, received the ball from Odsonne Edouard, charged forward into the Lazio penalty area and chipped over goalkeeper Thomas Strakosha.

The 2-1 victory saw Celtic progress to the last 32 of the Europa League for the third year running with two Group E games remaining.

As players and coaching staff celebrated in front of their fans after the final whistle had blown, it was tantalising to speculate how far the Hoops can go in the competition this season.

Yes, the Scottish champions rode their luck at times and Fraser Forster, as he had a fortnight earlier, came to their rescue on more than one occasion.

However, Celtic were the better team over the course of the 90 minutes. They could have wrapped up the game earlier than they did – and possibly even have won by more.

The Parkhead club picked up all three points at the end of what was an enormously entertaining and open encounter. They moved seven ahead of their opponents and nine clear of Rennes who lost to Cluj in Romania.

It was, no doubt about it, one of the great European results in their history. And there have been a fair few.

If they can reproduce this level of performance in the knockout rounds then who knows how far they will progress. The last 16? The quarter-finals? Further? Anything seems possible.

Hope sprang eternal for the 9,000-strong travelling support in the Eternal City.

They filled out the Curda Sud in the Stadio Olimpico long before kick-off and drowned out the sparse home crowd with their singing throughout the night.

Alas, a group of supporters set of flares before the match kicked off and thick plumes of smoke soon filled the 70,000-capacity arena.

Fortunately, a fire engine was on hand in a tunnel underneath the main stand.

Another UEFA fine will surely follow. But that prospect did not dampen spirits on a what was joyous evening.

The home team’s chances of avenging their defeat a fortnight earlier increased when both Ciro Immobile, the Italy striker who is the leading scorer in Serie A this season, and Felipe Caicedo, the Ecuadorian forward who impressed so much last month, were both passed fit to play. They led the line in a 3-5-2 formation.

Simone Inzaghi’s men gave an early indication of the threat they posed in just the third minute.

Jony tested Forster with a wicked dipping volley from outside the penalty box. The keeper did well to get down and palm his attempt away.

Callum McGregor required treatment for a bleeding nose at the side of the park after that passage of play.

Lazio landed their first blow of the evening when play resumed. Christopher Jullien failed to connect with a Manuel Lazzari cross from the right wing in the seventh and the ball broke to Immobile in space.

There was only going to be one outcome in that situation.

The forward converted the chance clinically with a first-time volley to net for 16th time in as many games.

The ease with which he was allowed to score at that stage in proceedings would have been troubling for Lennon.

Immobile could have built on Lazio’s lead in the 21st minute. Only a vital and perfectly-timed tackle from Kristoffer Ajer on the penalty spot prevented him from getting his shot away.

That seemed to steady Celtic. They looked more comfortable at the back and got forward and threatened to score themselves.

The poor quality of their final ball and the alertness of the home defence prevented them from levelling until finally, eight minutes before half-time, they capitalised on two uncharacteristic mistakes by their hosts.

Lazzari dithered and lost the ball in the centre of the park and Mohammed Elyounoussi pounced. Francesco Acerbi then failed to cut out a diagonal pass to Forrest.

The winger still had work to do. He showed admirable composure to rifle beyond Thomas Strakosha from an acute angle with Jony closing in on him. He has not scored many better or important goals in his career.

The Celtic supporters rejoiced. But the treble treble winners could easily have fallen behind on two occasions before the first half ended.

Forster denied Sergej MilinkovicSavic brilliantly after the midfielder rose and met a Lazzari delivery. Jullien then cleared off his own goal line at a Lazzari corner. It was breathless, exhilarating, compelling entertainment.

Celtic started the second half strongly and could – and really should – have taken the lead.

Edouard forced a save from Strakosha after being supplied by McGregor, then Forrest had a shot blocked by Luis Felipe when Edouard was in space and Elyounoussi went close from long range.

Edouard should have made it 2-1 in the 77th minute after being supplied by Elyounoussi. His shot slid agonisingly past the right post. The French striker then shaved the crossbar with a free-kick.

Lennon took off playmaker Ryan Christie and put on Olivier Ntcham, replaced Hatem Elhamed with Nir Bitton when the right-back injured himself and switched Forrest for Moritz Bauer at the death.

Forster saved brilliantly from Valon Berisha and Luis Alberto in the final five minutes. Then came the dramatic denouement.

Recovered from a shaky start to keep the Lazio forwards quiet. Went off late in the game after seeming to stretch his groin

A regular threat again at Celtic set-plays. Did his bit at the back, making a goal-line clearance late in the first half

Made a terrific intervention to deny Immobile a second. Almost turned creator with a cut-back that was cleared

Slotted in at left wing-back with Boli Bolingoli injured. Never stinted in effort

Picked up an early bloody nose in his 250th Celtic game but soldiered on. Increasingly influential after the break

Predictably at the centre of things as Celtic gradually grew in confidence

Scored goal that drew Celtic level. Strike atoned for the wing-back losing Immobile at Lazio’s opener.

Relentless running again. Put in tireless shift. Perfectly precise with his passing.

Played perfect pass to Forrest that let Celtic draw level. Ambitious shot in the second half touched over. Ceaseless endeavour