Celtic made the sharper opening at Celtic Park in their first Europa League fixture of the season, but Ferencvárosi TC responded well and turned a lively start into a competitive match.
The hosts were first to strike when Scales deflected Yusuf's cross past Sinisalo, a goal that gave Celtic early control. But Ferencvaros were not finished there. Baur then rolled in Tierney's cross to level the match, before Zachariassen restored the lead for the visitors.
Ferencvaros' attacking threat stayed limited
One of the main takeaways from the first half was how little Ferencvaros managed to involve Camilo Duran. James McFadden, working for Sportsound, said Duran had been barely involved, adding that he does make good runs and that Ferencvaros needed to play it in behind and give him something to chase. McFadden also said he did not think they had involved him enough.
The same problem extended to Kasper Hogh, who also had very few touches when he played. In practical terms, that meant Ferencvaros were able to find some moments in transition, but their central attacking options were not getting enough service to consistently trouble Celtic.
Defensive issues remained a concern
Sport Scotland's Martin Dowden pointed to a familiar issue for Celtic as the match developed, saying the defensive frailty on show had littered much of the half and had been evident this season. He also noted that there had been too many cheap errors handing their opponents encouragement after a strong leveller, while adding that there had been bright moments but also clear issues at the back that needed to be addressed.
That summed up the rhythm of the contest well: Celtic showed enough quality to get on the front foot, but Ferencvaros stayed in the game, took advantage of openings and made the most of their chances when they arrived.
The result also fits into the longer history between the clubs. Ferencvaros won the previous year's meeting in 2020, before Celtic won twice in 2021. This latest contest again showed how familiar opponents can quickly expose each other's weaknesses, even when one side starts strongly.
