Benfica Defeats Celtic in Lisbon
Celtic fell to a heavy 4-1 defeat against Benfica in the Europa League league phase in Lisbon, leaving the Scottish champions with two consecutive losses in the competition. Defensive mistakes allowed the hosts to build a commanding lead before the interval as Martin O’Neill’s side struggled.
The match got off to a difficult start for the visitors when defender Dane Murray clipped Jhon Durán inside the penalty area after five minutes. Durán converted the resulting spot-kick with a calm Panenka finish past goalkeeper Viljami Sinisalo. Benfica doubled their advantage in the 23rd minute through Alexander Bah, who capitalized on defensive switching to volley home a cross from Gianluca Prestianni. Durán added his second and Benfica’s third in the 36th minute, squeezing a low effort past Sinisalo from a tight angle after a turnover.
Celtic Response and Second-Half Struggles
Despite trailing by three goals at the break, Celtic showed resilience in the second half. Camilo Durán—who joined up with the squad late after remaining in Glasgow for the birth of his child—narrowly missed before the interval, curling an effort against both the crossbar and the post after Kasper Høgh struck the upright. Camilo Durán eventually pulled a goal back in the 63rd minute, heading in a cross from substitute Haissem Hassan. The visitors created further openings, with substitute Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain setting up Camilo Durán to rattle the woodwork again in the 72nd minute.
🚨 Benfica outclass Celtic 4-1 in Europa League- Jhon Duran scores twice, including a penalty panenka- Benfica 3-0 up at half-time in Lisbon- Alexander Bah volleys in after Tounekti switches off- Camilo Duran pulls one back for Celtic- Hit the post three times in the second… pic.twitter.com/0Bjh99mIdb
However, Benfica maintained their clinical edge in open play. Vangelis Pavlidis secured the victory in the 89th minute, running behind the Celtic defense to fire low past Sinisalo from the edge of the area. The defeat compounds a difficult run for Celtic, who have now lost four of their last five matches across all competitions, following a 3-1 home defeat to Ferencváros.
Managerial Reaction to the Lisbon Match
Celtic manager Martin O’Neill expressed pride in his team’s attacking response after the break despite the heavy scoreline. “Overall, I’m really, really delighted with the second-half performance and it’s a shame we conceded the three goals first of all,” O’Neill told TNT Sports. He added that the team created multiple chances and retained full belief in their ability to qualify for the next stage over the remaining fixtures.
Celtic captain Callum McGregor echoed his manager’s assessment of a split contest. “First half we didn’t really help ourselves, in terms of the unforced errors that lead to the goal, but second half gives us a bit to hang onto in terms of performance,” McGregor told TNT Sports, describing the fixture as a game of two halves.
Upcoming Scottish Premiership Fixture
Celtic must quickly regroup domestically following their European disappointment in Portugal. The Scottish champions return to domestic action on Sunday to host Hearts at Parkhead in the Scottish Premiership, looking to recover momentum after successive defeats.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Match
When and where was the match played?
The Europa League league phase fixture took place in Lisbon, Portugal, a city historically significant to Celtic as the site of their 1967 European Cup final victory.
How many goals did Jhon Durán score against Celtic?
Jhon Durán scored twice for Benfica, netting a fifth-minute penalty and adding a second goal in the 36th minute.
Who scored Celtic’s only goal of the game?
Camilo Durán scored Celtic’s lone goal in the 63rd minute by heading in a cross from substitute Haissem Hassan.
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