Jhon Jader Durán Scores Brace in Benfica’s Europa League Win Over Celtic

The performance arrived after months of questions surrounding the 22-year-old forward’s behavior and recent team changes, providing a stark contrast to the scrutiny that followed him to Portugal.

Early Penalties and First-Half Dominance

Playing in Lisbon, Durán needed only 36 minutes to secure his brace. The opening goal came at the 5-minute mark when Jhon Jader Durán converted a penalty. Durán took the penalty himself, executing a soft shot down the center using the Panenka technique as goalkeeper Viljami Sinisalo dove to the side. After Alexander Bah added a second goal for Benfica in the 23rd minute, Durán struck again at the 36-minute mark. Receiving a pass from Gianluca Prestianni inside the box, he held off a defender and shot with his left foot between the goalkeeper’s legs to make it 3-0.

Contrasting Performances and Ongoing Questions

The encounter also featured fellow Colombian forward Camilo Durán, who scored Celtic’s lone goal with a header at the 63rd minute following a cross from Haissem Hassan. While Jhon Jader Durán’s goals brought his seasonal tally to four and delivered his first multiple-goal performance since joining Benfica, questions remain regarding how he will maintain this stability following recent controversies involving comments from club president Sadettin Saran.

🇨🇴⚽️ GOLAZO DE JHON JÁDER DURÁNEl delantero de 22 años anotó el primer gol del #Benfica ante #Celtic LA PICÓ DESDE EL PUNTO DEL PENAL.1ª anotación en #EuropaLeague Tercer gol con @SLBenfica pic.twitter.com/1EBTheYuMA

— https://x.com/nicocadena_/status/2110820807035269442

Match Statistics and Career Milestones

Jhon Jader Durán played as a starter for the third time with the team and the second time in the tournament, before being substituted in the 66th minute by Vangelis Pavlidis. The victory left Benfica with six points after previously defeating AC Milan. For Jhon Jader Durán, this marked his first multiple-goal performance since July 23, 2025, when he scored a brace in a 4-0 international friendly for Fenerbahçe against Al-Ittihad. His last brace in an official match occurred on May 12, 2025, playing for Al-Nassr in a 9-0 victory against Al-Okhdood during the Saudi league’s 31st matchday. Throughout his professional career, he has recorded eleven braces: three with Chicago Fire, one with Aston Villa (on May 13, 2024, against Liverpool), five with Al-Nassr, one with Fenerbahçe, and his most recent one with Benfica. His prior career stops also include spells in Russia, and his professional debut occurred in 2019 at age 15, later becoming one of the youngest goalscorers in the Colombian championship before joining Chicago Fire in January 2022 and moving on to clubs in England, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey, culminating in a 2024-2025 season tally of 24 goals in 47 matches across Aston Villa and Saudi Arabia.

Photo: infobae.com

Camilo Durán, a 24-year-old forward with no familial relation to Jhon Jader, finished the match with eleven completed passes from thirteen attempts, four shots including two on target and two hitting the post, 34 ball touches, ten possession losses, five fouls received, one ball recovery, and seven duels won out of eleven. His goal was his eleventh in 17 matches since arriving in July 2026. Following this Thursday fixture on October 15, 2026, Celtic will host Hearts on Sunday, October 18 in the Scottish Premiership, while Benfica will visit Omonia Nicosia on Thursday, October 22 in the Europa League.