Benfica recorded a commanding 4-1 victory over Celtic in the Europa League group stage on Thursday evening at the Estádio da Luz in Lisbon. The win leaves Celtic without points in the group and firmly placed in the elimination zone.

The Portuguese side quickly set the tone with Jhon Duran opening the scoring from the penalty spot just five minutes into the match. The 22-year-old former Aston Villa forward executed a Panenka-style penalty, giving Benfica an early advantage. Shortly after, Alexander Bah doubled the lead with a well-placed volley.

Benfica extended their lead to 3-0 before half-time as Jhon Duran scored again, securing a comfortable cushion for Marco Silva’s team. Celtic, managed by Martin O’Neill, struggled to find an answer in the first half.

Camilo Duran, no relation to Benfica’s striker, pulled one back for Celtic in the 63rd minute with a header. This marked the Colombian’s eighth goal in 14 appearances since joining Celtic during the summer transfer window. Despite this, the visitors were unable to mount a sustained comeback.

Late in the game, Vangelis Pavlidis added to Benfica’s tally with a strike that made the scoreline 4-1. The result leaves Celtic facing a difficult task in the remainder of the Europa League group stage as they seek to avoid early elimination.

Benfica’s victory solidifies their position as group leaders and boosts their prospects of advancing to the knockout rounds. Meanwhile, Celtic must improve their performances to remain competitive in continental competition.