They did not go gentle into that good night.

Brendan Rodgers had urged his players to rage against the dying of the light, a philosophy his team took to heart as they rolled up their sleeves to deliver a gutsy win that breathes life into their Europa League adventure.

For 67 minutes they held Leipzig at arm’s length thanks to the excellent Kieran Tierney’s opener. But even as they flirted with a wimpering end to their European aspirations – Jean-Kevin Augustin’s header just 12 minutes from time would have ended their campaign – they rallied to come again.

Within a minute they had put themselves back on the frontfoot with Odsonne Edouard the grateful recipient of Ryan Christie’s run and delivery into the box.

It didn’t quite end there.

There were fraught moments as the clock ran down but in some ways it was a performance reminiscent of those that characterised the early seasons of Rodgers’ regime at the club.

Celtic had heart. And spirt. And a little bit of luck; substitute Kevin Kampi’s effort that cannoned off the crossbar with just five minutes to go was a rub of the green that the Parkhead side deserved on the back of a display that leaves them with a fighting chance of making it into the knockout stages of the Europa League.

Tied on points now with Leipzig, Celtic have Rosenborg to play next in Trondheim before concluding their campaign against runaway Group B leaders Salzburg in December.

They will have derived more than just a late reprieve last night. The overall display was impressive against a streetwise Bundesliga side – who did not sport one German player in their starting line-up - whom Rodgers had insisted before last night’s game were better than his side all over the park.

This performance was in keeping with the tone of the last month from Celtic with a cohesion and energy that suggests they are firmly back in their stride.

Edouard looked every inch the £9m player. The striker deserved his winner – tapped in from close range – after a night in which he worked his socks off.

But what was impossible to miss last night was the desire that underpinned the delivery of the result.

It was there in the opening goal with Callum McGregor feeding James Forrest and the winger teeing up Tierney to drill in the goal, and it was there as Christie galloped out of his own half with the ball at his feet in the 92nd minute when he was just about on his knees to relieve the final bombardment.

In between times there was a fascinating encounter with the game precariously balanced for much if it.

Celtic were, inevitably, unchanged from the team who hammered Hearts at the weekend but after the opening disco lights show there seemed a touch of stage fright in the opening minutes.

Leipzig were easy on the eye in the first exchanges with the fluidity and pace of their movement offering a reminder of just where they sit in the Bundesliga.

Still, though, once Celtic found their groove they seemed to remember their lines.

The opening goal was swift and clinical. Who knows whether Scotland manager Alex McLeish managed to get a view of it but it was difficult to ignore the Scottish spine of the Parkhead side.

McGregor is the only player to have started every one of Celtic’s competitive games this season and was once again excellent in the deep sitting midfield position.

Celtic had sufficient chances to have been left kicking themselves had they failed to see the game out.

Shortly after scoring, Tierney looked to turn provider with a ball to the edge of the box for Tom Rogic but the Australian curled his effort over the bar.

Edouard, too, had the Celtic support on their feet. The Frenchman way down the left-hand flank to get to the byline but with Scott Sinclair waiting to tap the ball in, Leipzig were able to recover and get the ball out for a corner.

Dangerous on the counter-attack and comfortable with the ball at their feet. Leipzig, though, were not shy in trying to get forward too.

Celtic could have doubled their advantage and made life a little easier for themselves just after the restart when Edouard teed up Sinclair. The winger found himself through on goal but as he bore down on goal he took a touch too many allowing the German defence to recover and clear the danger.

Encouraged, Leipzig enjoyed a spell of pressure as they sought to peg Celtic back. Tierney went into the book for a foul on Nordo Mukiele but it was Celtic winger Forrest who seemed to find himself on the deck most of the night.

Spooked by the directness of the 27-year-old, Leipzig resorted to crudely upending Forrest in a way to prevent the frequent forays of the winger.

The slender advantage lent an edge the longer the game went on and when Christie deflected an effort from Marcel Sabitzer wide from a Leipzig corner there was a growing sense of Leipzig forcing their way back into the game.

Edouard almost gave them their out. The striker again used his physicality to drive into the box but his effort from a tight angle was pushed wide by Leipzig keeper Yvon Mvogo.

When Augustin bulleted a header from close range there was a rousing response from the home support, matched by those on the pitch. Within a minute Celtic were back in front thanks to a Sinclair-Christie-Edouard combination.

The Europa League campaign lives to fight another day.