IT turns out that Celtic were merely waiting for the disco lights to come on before they showed off some of their best moves. The Parkhead side took the floor last night knowing defeat to RB Leipzig, coupled with Salzburg taking something from Rosenborg, would see the house lights dimmed on their continental campaign for good. Even the draw, for which this one seemed destined for at least a minute, when Jean-Kevin Augustin stunned this ground by levelling Kieran Tierney’s opener with barely ten minutes remaininng - would have left things decidedly gloomy.

Instead, having initially emerged shortly after the Peter Lawwell’s big summer signing had been fully deployed for the first time - a bewildering array of flickers, flashes and spotlights – Edouard struck back within a minute to give Celtic the result this lights out performance deserved. It left their hopes of Europa League action beyond Christmas still burning brightly with two matches to play.

Admittedly this dramatic episode of Thursday night lights came against a Leipzig side who had left two of their leading lights at home. Star strikers Yussuf Poulsen and Timo Werner didn’t make the journey for a side sitting fourth in the Bundesliga table but Ralf Rangnick, a man who picked the brains of Brendan Rodgers over the telephone back in the days when the side from the east of Germany were a lowly second tier outfit, still exuded confidence on the eve of this one.

For all the flashes of promise a fortnight ago, not to mention the club’s storming domestic run, Leipzig had run out comfortable 2-0 winners in the first match and stroked the ball about early on as if without a care in the world. It was sleek, it was sharp and Marcel Sabitzer tested Craig Gordon with an early shot as the Germans put their towel down early on the Parkhead surface.

Suddenly, though, it was a couple of Scots who were leading their opponents a merry dance. Eleven minutes were on the clock when James Forrest, with the kind of display which makes him a must-start for Scotland in the forthcoming double header, shimmied inside Marcelo Saracchi and fired in a dangerous low cross which skidded all the way to the back corner of the box.

That of course, is the domain of Kieran Tierney, who had time to take a touch and concentrate on his technique, before lashing in a low shot which was too powerful for Yvon Mvogo to keep out of the corner of his net. Rangnick’s response was immediate; giving Saracchi, the 20-year-old Uruguayan, the big hook to be replaced by experienced German international Marcel Halstenberg.

Soon it was almost Tom Rogic’s turn to find his name up in lights, after Tierney again gave the German defence chills as he drove on into the area, but the Australian’s radar was just off on this occasion. Odsonne Edouard showcased his pace and strength by driving 50 yards down the left.

Leipzig weren’t exactly throwing everything they had at Gordon but they were throwing themselves at him. The goalkeeper took a bad one from Jean-Kevin Augustin as he threw himself bravely down at one cross, then got a bit more treatment from the hulking form of Dayo Upamecano. At one point Scott Bain was warming up but this was Gordon at his best, showing safe hands to defy second-half efforts from the dangerous Bruma and Sabitzer.

You just knew Celtic needed a second goal, as much for head-to-head countback against their opponents as safety on the night, and Edouard twice almost obliged. First, he tested Mvogo with a low left foot shot from a quick break following a Tom Rogic cross, then his right foot effort took a nick and flew inches past. Sinclair had rounded the goalkeeper before the ball was cleared, while the excellent Filip Benkovic saw a header drop wide too.

Celtic would have surrendered their lead before Edouard finally obliged. For the only time all night, Parkhead stood in stunned silence as substitute Kevin Kampl’s pass, Konrad Laimer’s cross and Augustin’s simple header caught out a statuesque home defence.

The goal which restored their lead came from a move of stunning efficiency and simplicity. Scott Sinclair found Ryan Christie, who made his low cross to Edouard seem like the most straightforward thing in the world. Edouard could hardly miss even if Celtic still had to live on their nerves as Kampl hit the bar then fired narrowly over.

When the whistle sounded, this was a win up there with Zenit St Peterbsurg last year for the biggest home European triumph of Rodgers’ tenure, the only black mark being the head-to-head disadvantage it leaves on Leipzig. With the doomsday scenario of a carve up between the two Red Bull clubs along the lines of Germany against Austria in Gijon at the 1982 World Cup hopefully mitigated by the fact that Salzburg, for all their 12 points, aren’t qualified yet either, an away win against Rosenborg in Norway in a fortnight’s time and the Parkhead side will at least be able to look at the disco shoes for one last dance.