Jhon Duran Shines as Benfica Crushes Celtic 4-1 in Europa League Clash

Jhon Duran Leads Benfica's Convincing Europa League Win Over Celtic

Benfica striker Jhon Duran starred in a commanding 4-1 victory against Celtic at the Estadio da Luz, further extending Benfica's perfect start in the UEFA Europa League group stage. The Colombian forward scored twice, with Marco Silva's side controlling the match from start to finish.

Duran Double Sets Tone for Benfica

The former Aston Villa player opened the scoring early with a cheeky Panenka penalty. Later, Alexander Bah added a second goal with a stunning volley. Before halftime, Duran squeezed in his second goal from a tight angle, making it 3-0.

Celtic's Camilo Duran managed to pull one back, but substitute Vangelis Pavlidis secured the win with a late strike, leaving Benfica third in the group standings.

Duran on His Performance and Partnership with Pavlidis

"These two goals are important to boost my confidence and help work even more closely with Vangelis Pavlidis," said Duran. "Everyone knows his current form; he’s scoring loads of goals and owns the place. Whenever I get the chance to play, I’ll do my best for everyone."

The player of the match expressed satisfaction with his contribution and praised the team spirit among Benfica’s attackers.

Silva Urges More Control Despite Strong First Half

"Our performance in the first half was so good, it made it look easier," Silva said. "We saw the quality of Celtic and if we give them confidence they can make it tough. We managed to get back to our best version and scored the fourth. We should be more solid to control the game when we are leading, so there are things to learn."

The coach highlighted the importance of maintaining composure even when ahead.

Europa League Standings After Matchday 2

• Benfica: 6 points from 2 matches
• Celtic: 0 points from 2 matches

Upcoming Fixtures

• Benfica vs. Omonia – 22 October 2026, 22:00 (Europa League Matchday 3)
• Celtic vs. Celta Vigo – 18 October 2026, 17:00 (Premiership)

With this result, Benfica looks well placed to continue their strong run in Europe, while Celtic must regroup quickly to find their first points of the campaign.