Celtic showed second-half fight but were ultimately outclassed away to Benfica as they were beaten 4-1 in the Europa League.
Defensive mistakes from Celtic helped Marco Silva’s hosts race into a three-goal lead by the break, with Jhon Duran at the double and Alexander Bah on the scoresheet.
Camilo Duran – who had made his own way to Portugal after staying in Scotland for the birth of his child – pulled one back for Martin O’Neill’s side and hit a post as Celtic tried to set up a grandstand finish.
Celtic’s Camilo Duran celebrates after scoring against Benfica
But instead, Vangelis Pavlidis wrapped up the scoring and a comprehensive win for Benfica, which leaves Celtic with two defeats from their first two games in the league phase.
There may have been encouragement in some of their second-half attacking play but alarm bells were ringing at the back.
In Lisbon, the city which hosted Celtic’s greatest moment in the 1976 European Cup final, the visitors handed Benfica a head start when Dane Murray kicked the back of Duran’s legs in a crowded box. The former Aston Villa striker was cool with his panenka penalty.
Sebastian Tounekti then switched off for Bah to volley in before Auston Trusty and Celtic keeper Vijami Sinisalo contrived to let Duran score from what appeared an impossible position for the third.
Benfica’s Jhon Duran celebrates after scoring a penalty against Celtic
Celtic were desperately unlucky not to bring the game back to 2-1, with Kasper Hogh hitting a post from close range before Duran curled the rebound against both the crossbar and the other post. And it would not be the last time the frame of the goal was rattled.
Fredrik Aursnes nodded against a post at the other end, from what was eventually flagged an offside position, while Andreas Schjelderup and Tomas Araujo hit the woodwork in the second half, with Duran’s strike against an upright in between. Fine margins in those moments – but the difference between these sides was far greater.
Key moments from Lisbon…
4: PENALTY TO BENFICA! Murray kicks Duran in the back of the leg as he goes to make a clearance in a crowded penalty area.
5: GOAL! DURAN WITH THE PANENKA! Cool as you like from the Colombian striker who dinks in the opener.
23: GOAL! It’s cute from the impressive Prestianni, who lifts a cross into the box for Bah to volley in – but it’s terrible from Tounekti, who goes to sleep and allows Bah to run off him and into space to convert.
Benfica’s Alexander Bah scores against Celtic
25: SIDE-NETTING! Duran fires the wrong side of the near post and Celtic are on the ropes here.
28: CELTIC SO UNLUCKY! Hogh volleys against the upright from Tounekti’s cross before Duran bends a follow-up shot against the crossbar and post.
35: OFF THE POST! But the offside flag goes up. Duran meets a corner and heads it into the six-yard box but Fredrik Aursnes nodded against the post before being flagged offside.
36: GOAL! Trusty tries to show Duran away from goal but the striker hooks his foot around the ball and somehow angles an effort past Sinisalo at his near post.
63: GOAL! Celtic’s Duran pulls one back for the Hoops, heading in sub Haissem Hassan’s cross.
72: OFF THE POST! Sub Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain feeds Duran in the box and he crashes a left-foot strike against the near upright!
74: BENFICA HIT THE POST! Andreas Schjelderup then goes close for Benfica!
89: GOAL! Pavlidis runs in behind and clinically fires low into the net from the edge of the box to make it 4-1.
90: OFF THE FRAME AGAIN! Araujo heads Pavlidis’ cross against the bar!
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