The Scottish champions’ performance in their home Europa League league phase match against Besiktas last night was, after a few damp squib displays in recent weeks, pretty incendiary too.

As rockets lit up the night air around the stadium and the sound of pyrotechnics being set off rang out, Martin O’Neill’s men finally found their sparkle.

Beating opponents who were sitting in the automatic qualification spots in the table alongside the likes of Benfica, Bayer Leverkusen and Juventus and avoiding an unwanted record was always going to be a big ask.

But O’Neill, the septuagenarian whose suitability for his high-pressure, high-profile role has been widely questioned in the wake of losses to Rangers, Ferencvaros, Celta Vigo and Falkirk, showed the flame still burns brightly.

The Northern Irishman, who selected Sebastien Tounekti, Kasper Hogh and James Forrest in his front three, vowed that his men would go for it when he spoke to BBC Radio Scotland ahead of the game.

However, the flat first-half display looked a little like a damage-limitation exercise, an attempt by a manager who knew his side was lacking in confidence after winning just three of their previous 10 outings to avoid a heavy home reverse and further opprobrium from the stands.

That was understandable to an extent. The visitors, who had beaten Hoffenheim and Marseille and drawn with Crystal Palace in their opening three fixtures, had Leandro Trossard, the Belgium international, pulling the strings for them in the middle of the park.

Still, an arena which is normally a cauldron of noise on big European nights and which is renowned across the world for its febrile atmosphere was eerily silent at times as the hosts sat back, concentrated on containing their rivals and offered next to nothing going forward.

Celtic left back Kieran Tierney at Parkhead last night (Image: Andrew Milligan)

Oh Hyeon-gyu, the South Korean international who spent a season-and-a-half at Celtic between 2022 and 2024 and won five major honours in that time, has clearly endeared himself to Besiktas supporters since moving to Istanbul in a €14m transfer in February.

The 25-year-old was given a huge ovation by the thousands of travelling supporters who had been shoehorned into the corner between the South Stand and the Lisbon Lions Stand when he emerged from the tunnel before kick-off.

He stood on the turf he once graced on a weekly basis in his bare feet and conducted a rendition of the “Oh Oh Song” which Black and Whites fans chant whenever he nets a goal. Eat your heart out Graham Roberts.   

Oh is one of those players, and there have been quite a few of them over the years, who goes from strength to strength after departing Celtic. The 6ft 2in striker would have improved the hosts’ forward line in the first half last night.

Benjamin Nygren had the perfect chance to put the home team ahead and set proceedings alight in the seventh minute when he received the ball from Sebastien Tounekti in space in the opposition area. The Swede had time to control the pass and place his shot. He fired over the crossbar.

It was the only attempt on goal in the opening 45 minutes.

Vaclav Cerny, the former Rangers winger who returned to Parkhead for the first time since he sprayed Celtic fans with a water bottle after a 3-2 derby victory in March last year, was booed by the home support every time he got on the ball.

There was a huge roar in the first half when Liam Scales slid in and scythed the Czech down. There was precious little else for the green-and-white-clad hordes who had turned up – and thousands of green seats lay empty – to shout about.

But O’Neill had a cunning plan.   

Preferring the experience of Jordan Lotomba to the raw youthful exuberance of Colby Donovan was, regardless of the Swiss full-back’s lack of recent game time, a smart move.

The defender’s rustiness perhaps showed when he conceded a penalty with a rash foul on Ernest Poku. Junior Olaitan netted after Sam Johnstone had saved his initial effort.

Celtic manager Martin O'Neill at Parkhead last night (Image: Andrew Milligan)

It was a cruel, even unfair, setback. Celtic had not looked like conceding up until that point. But O’Neill threw on Donovan, Callum Osmand and Camilo Duran for Lotomba, Tounekti and Forrest respectively. His inspired substitutions changed the game completely.

The 74-year-old has been portrayed as an old-school manager who is out of touch with the modern game in certain quarters in recent weeks as his charges have toiled and suffered painful losses. He silenced his doubters by producing a tactical masterclass.

Osmand equalised with his first touch of the ball and then set up Duran for a goal. The Colombian then put his side 3-2 ahead after Orkun Kokcu had lashed in a long-range effort from fully 30 yards out. That opportunist strike ultimately clinched a much-needed, morale-boosting and richly deserved victory.

“It was designed to do exactly what it did,” said O’Neill afterwards. “We have been playing Sunday, Thursday, Sunday, Thursday, Wednesday. We have played something like nine games in 24 days. Some players need a little breather. You can get re-energised from coming on the field.” 

Can Celtic, who take on Kilmarnock in the William Hill Premiership at Parkhead on Sunday, tap into the feelgood factor this performance and result have generated and maintain this sort of form in the weeks ahead?

Their defensive play throughout the 90 minutes and the offensive play during the last half an hour augur well for the future.

Cameron Carter-Vickers, who was pilloried for his error-strewn showing against Falkirk last weekend, was a colossus before making way for Dane Murray due to hamstring tightness. Is there really friction between the centre-half and his manager? It didn’t look like it.

Celtic failed to push on after their 7-1 mauling of Hearts in the league last month - but this fine triumph over a formidable side indicates that better times might lie ahead.