Celtic endure more misery with disheartening Europa League loss ahead of Old Firm

Ferencvaros piled on the misery for Celtic with a 3-1 win in their Europa League opener at Parkhead. Sunday’s bruising 3-0 Scottish League Cup defeat to Rangers had stunned Martin O’Neill ’s side, who fell behind in the 20th minute when winger Bamidele Yusuf’s shot deflected off defender Liam Scales and into the net. Midfielder Mika Baur swept in an equaliser in the 44th minute but before the half-time whistle blew, captain Kristoffer Zachariassen restored the Hungarian side’s lead. Former Celtic forward Daniel Arzani fired in a stunning 20-yard drive in the 47th minute and Balazs Borbely’s side comfortably kept their lead intact. O’Neill shuffled his side, with Viljami Sinisalo replacing on-loan goalkeeper Sam Johnstone who had looked shaky in Govan. Record signing Kasper Hogh was dropped for striker Camilo Duran to move in from the wing, with wide men James Forrest and Haissem Hassan coming in along with midfielder Oliver Sorensen. Celtic lost again after a disappointing display (PA) The visitors started sprightly, Yusuf brilliantly blocking a goal-bound shot from Forrest, and there were a couple of near misses from Duran and Forrest, again. In the 18th minute, Zachariassen headed a Yusuf cross over the crossbar to hint at the danger to come and two minutes later, when the Nigerian decided to shoot from the edge of the Hoops penalty area, the ball was inadvertently redirected by Scales past the stranded Sinisalo. Sinisalo dived smartly down to his right to push away a shot from Zachariassen for a 23rd-minute corner which came to nothing, and then a dangerous cross bounced off Mariano Gomez into the arms of the Celtic keeper. In response, a drive from Celtic captain Callum McGregor was deflected wide for another Hoops corner which proved fruitless. Celtic managed to pull themselves together towards the end of the first half (PA) The home side did level when left-back Kieran Tierney drove into the box and cut the ball back for Baur, handed his first Germany call-up this week, to fire in from 12 yards and it looked like Celtic would have a chance to regroup at the break. However, in added time, Yusuf dribbled all too easily into the Celtic penalty area and set up Zachariassen to flick the ball in from close range with defenders Scales and Cameron Carter-Vickers in close attendance. Hogh replaced Sorensen for the start of the second half to go with a front two but before the crowd settled, a Scales mistake ended with Yusuf sending Arzani clear down the left and after turning inside to the edge of the box, he fired high into the top corner. Martin O’Neill has plenty to ponder ahead of the Old Firm rematch this weekend (Getty) Benjamin Nygren and Sebastian Tounekti replaced Forrest and Hassan, soon followed by Luke McCowan, as O’Neill tried another way into a match that was drifting. Celtic pepped up and in the 69th minute Nygren came close with a curling shot and Tounekti had an effort parried away by keeper Adam Varga, whose mistake allowed Nygren a shot at an empty goal from 30 yards but he missed the target. It is on to Sunday now for Celtic, who will try to win back the favour of their fed-up fans against their oldest rivals.