Celtic were effectively out of the contest by halftime, trailing 3-0 after a series of defensive errors left the Scottish side facing a mountain to climb. The visitors handed Benfica an early lead just four minutes into the match when Dane Murray conceded a penalty, which Jhon Duran converted. Alexander Bah added a second before Jhon Duran scored his brace, leaving Celtic 34th out of 36 teams in the competition standings after two matches. While Camilo Duran pulled a goal back for the visitors after the break, Vangelis Pavlidis eventually sealed the comprehensive win for the hosts with a late fourth goal.
The loss marks Celtic's fourth defeat in their past five matches across all competitions. For manager Martin O'Neill, the result underscores a difficult start to the European campaign, as his side has now lost both of their opening group matches. Despite the outcome, O'Neill expressed optimism regarding his team's second-half performance, insisting that the attacking display provides a foundation for the remainder of the league phase.
According to the BBC, the scoreline accurately reflected the disparity between the two sides, as Benfica dominated possession and hit the woodwork multiple times throughout the encounter. Captain Callum McGregor acknowledged that unforced errors were the primary cause of the collapse, noting that the team failed to manage the ball effectively at the top level. Although Celtic managed to create several chances in the second half, they were consistently punished by a clinical Benfica side that remained superior in both halves of play. The defeat leaves Celtic searching for their first points of the European season as they prepare for upcoming fixtures.