Braga stun Celtic after VAR controversy
Celtic 0 - 2 Braga
Celtic suffered further European disappointment as goals in each half and a controversial disallowed equaliser earned Braga victory in what was a chaotic encounter.
Kasper Schmeichel had an error-strewn game in goal and failed to keep out Ricardo Horta's early long-range effort, which stunned the Celtic Park crowd into silence.
The Dane then did well to keep out a late shot but was helpless when the ball bounced off Gabri Martinez in a botched clearance and rebounded into the net to seal all the points.
After their Champions League qualification failure against Kairat Almaty, and an opening Europa League draw with Red Star Belgrade, this continued Celtic's disappointing start to their European campaign.
In fact, so sharp has been the drop-off since last season, that Brendan Rodgers' side may struggle to qualify for the latter stages of the Europa League unless they can find their way again, and quickly.
Closer analysis of what happened
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| Teams enter the picth |
Braga controlled much of the first half, forcing Brendan Rodgers to alter Celtic’s shape after the interval, switching to a back three and bolstering midfield in an attempt to steady his side.
The adjustment brought improvement and Celtic believed they had drawn level when Kelechi Iheanacho finished coolly after a defensive lapse. His celebrations were cut short, however, as referee Tobias Stieler ruled handball. A lengthy VAR review upheld the decision, despite replays suggesting the ball had not struck a hand.
Braga’s goalkeeper Lukas Hornicek then produced two outstanding saves to preserve his team’s lead. He dived left to deny Kieran Tierney’s header, before flinging himself to the opposite side to claw away Sebastian Tounekti’s curling strike that seemed destined for the corner.
Rodgers introduced Reo Hatate, Arne Engels and James Forrest in a final push, yet Celtic could not summon the decisive moment and their search for an equaliser went unrewarded.
This defeat will sting for Celtic
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| Sent from Celtic fan Andrew Cheshire |
Celtic will feel the sting of this setback if they harbour serious ambitions of reaching the knockout stages of the Europa League.
One point from their opening two matches is an unconvincing return, and there was an air of disorder and fragility about Brendan Rodgers’ side that the manager will have found unsettling.
So dominant were Braga in the first half that Rodgers abandoned his favoured 4-3-3 system in favour of a back three with wing-backs. Even then, the tactical shift could not inspire a breakthrough.
The lack of cutting edge will worry Rodgers. Where goals flowed freely last season, this campaign has already begun to look like a struggle.
