Celtic's stitches unpicked by blast from past as Rangers left licking lips ahead of next clash

This game brutally exposed Celtic's failings against ordinary opposition: softness in defence, a lack of imagination in midfield and a disjointed frontline. And the timing was awful, coming after a 3-0 defeat by Rangers and ahead of facing the same bitter rival back here on Sunday.

Rangers boss Derek McInnes, presumably watching at home, will have noted such a ham-fisted performance. It makes this weekend's first Premiership Old Firm derby of the season even more fascinating.

With lofty Champions League aspirations, this was a stage Celtic didn't want to grace at the start of the season. They played like a team that barely belongs in it, though, never mind the upper echelons of European football.

A response to the convincing Premier Sports Cup quarter-final defeat at Ibrox was required to soothe growing anxiety that Martin O'Neill's men are stalling. It did not materialise.

Once Ferencvaros rode out a fast start from Celtic, in which the hosts forced three corners in three minutes, they asserted themselves. There was even a goal for ex-Celtic player Daniel Arzani, who played just two games during his two-year spell in Glasgow. This was his first appearance at Parkhead and he crowned it with a sumptuous strike at the start of the second half to make it 3-1 to the Hungarians.

O'Neill switched his goalkeeper for this game, restoring Viljami Sinisalo for Sam Johnstone. Camilo Duran was preferred to Kasper Hogh as the main striker, veteran winger James Forrest was given his first start of the season and Oliver Sorensen was deployed in midfield. Forrest was Celtic's liveliest player for the 57 minutes he was on the pitch - but the competition was weak.

Celtic's confidence drained away from them after Ferencvaros opened the scoring on 20 minutes when Liam Scales sclaffed a clearance from a Bamidele Yusuf cross beyond Sinisalo. They spent large swathes of the first half passing the ball backwards, showing little dynamism in midfield. The supporters voiced their displeasure.

Celtic should have kicked on when they levelled with their best move of the match on 44 minutes when Forrest clipped the ball through for Kieran Tierney, whose accurate cross was coolly finished by Mika Baur. But any foothold they had crumbled in the solitary minute of stoppage time when Yusuf too easily beat Tierney and nutmegged Callum McGregor with a cross for Kristoffer Zachariassen to guide home.

It meant Celtic started the second period on the back foot. O'Neill brought on Hogh and switched to a 4-4-2. Yet on 47 minutes, it was 3-1 when Colby Donovan ceded possession and Ferencvaros' foray forward ended with Arzani lashing a quite stunning strike into the top corner.

Celtic emptied their bench in a flap, desperate to find a way back into the game. Benjamin Nygren so nearly gave them it with an arcing shot that went just wide on 69 minutes. He then missed from 30 yards when Ferencvaros keeper Adam Varga passed sloppily to him. Even the gifts were being spurned. That was the last moment of note, the last 20 minutes played out grimly amid empty seats.

Celtic's next assignment in the Europa League is away to Benfica, who beat AC Milan at the San Siro earlier in the week. They are in danger of being outclassed - by the Portuguese and perhaps even Rangers, who could inflict serious strife on O'Neill and Co.