Celtic 0 - 4 Lyon: New boys start for Celtic in heavy defeat

A much-changed Celtic side were defeated 4-0 at Celtic Park by Olympique Lyonnais, a day after the club had defeated Linfield in they made first step in attempting to qualify for the group stages of the Champions League.

Olivier Ntcham in action for Celtic. Picture: SNS/Alan Harvey

New boys Jonny Hayes, Olivier Ntcham and Kundai Benyu all started for Celtic, alongside Callum McGregor, Emilio Izaguirre, Nir Bitton, Kristoffer Ajer, Eboue Kouasii and Moussa Dembele, with a number of youth team players earning game time.

Brendan Rodgers would have been impressed with periods of play, especially in the first half, with the home side creating the better opportunities.

Bitton hit the side netting with a free-kick early on before the palms of Dorus de Vries were stung by a Romain Del Castillo effort.

The best chance of the first-half fell to Benyu, a recent addition from Ipswich Town. Kouassi found McGregor in the Lyon box, allowing the Scot to set up Dembele. The Frenchman wasn’t able to connect with the ball properly, allowing Benyu to pick up the scraps but his fierce shot was headed off the line by Lyon captain Jeremy Morel.

Ntcham soon got in on the act, showing his propensity for a shot, but his effort couldn’t beat Lopes. The next time he shot Lopes could only parry, McGregor netting the rebound only to see the linesman’s flag in the air.

Lyon boss took off Memphis Depay at half-time, but throughout the second half strengthened his hand as Rodgers weakened his. Big money signing Bertrand Traore was introduced to the action as was impish forward Nabil Fekir.

Maxwell Cornet opened the scoring following a good save from substitute goalkeeper Conor Hazard before Myziane Maolida netted after a mazy run.

Fekir and Amine Gouiri scored late on to seal a comfortable victory.