Celtic's Disallowed Goal Sparks Controversy in Braga Defeat
Kelechi Iheanacho described a controversial decision as "an awful decision," while teammate Sebastian Tounekti referred to it as "crazy," and former Celtic goalkeeper Joe Hart labeled it "ridiculous."
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers lamented a "huge moment" when Iheanacho's potential equalizer was disallowed early in the second half during a match against Sporting Braga.
The Nigerian striker believed he had scored when he struck a left-footed shot into the far corner after navigating a weak defensive challenge. However, after a lengthy VAR review, official Christian Dingert instructed referee Tobias Stieler to annul the goal due to a handball, even though replays suggested the ball had struck Iheanacho's face.
"The ball didn’t hit my hand, and that changed the game," Iheanacho stated. The frustration was compounded by several excellent saves from Braga goalkeeper Lukas Hornicek.
Nevertheless, Celtic also made their own mistakes throughout the match. In the 20th minute, a strike from Ricardo Horta from 33 yards out dipped and swerved, catching Kasper Schmeichel off guard as he failed to make the save, allowing Braga to celebrate their opening goal.
A second defensive blunder in the second half saw Dane Murray's clearance ricochet off Gabri Martinez and into the net. Going forward, Celtic struggled to create opportunities, with last season's top scorer Daizen Maeda playing as a right wing-back for much of the second half.
This match marked the fifth time in 12 games this season that Celtic failed to score, matching the total number of games in which they were shut out last season. Is it too simplistic to attribute their misfortunes to the disallowed goal, or were they simply outperformed by a team ranked seventh in Portugal's top division?
Celtic's VAR Controversy: A 100% Win Without the Decision?
In an attempt to spark a turnaround, Rodgers switched to a back three at halftime, repositioning Maeda and bringing on Marcelo Saracchi for Colby Donovan. Celtic showed signs of improvement, and when Iheanacho found the net, it seemed they were in control.
However, the momentum was abruptly halted by a lengthy VAR check, the verdict of which left many at Parkhead baffled. Joe Hart, providing commentary for TNT Sports, was convinced the goal would stand at the time of the incident. "There’s VAR checking for handball trying to ruin everyone’s fun, but no, it comes off his head. What could they possibly be waiting for? They must be seeing a different replay to me. What are we wasting our time for? This is ridiculous. I presume there’s a bad wi-fi connection because that can be the only reason we aren’t getting on with this game at 1-1."
Eventually, Stieler announced that the goal was disallowed, leaving those in the Celtic camp equally perplexed. "It was never a handball; it’s crazy that the referee disallowed that," Tounekti remarked. "We watched the video again, and I spoke to Kele about it. I’m really interested in what VAR saw because that was never a handball. I think if that goal had stood, we would have won the game 100%."
Rodgers echoed this sentiment, expressing confusion over the officials' decision. "There’s absolutely no way, whatever way you look at it, [Iheanacho] has touched it [with his hand]. That’s a huge moment in the game."
Post-Match Analysis: Did Braga Deserve the Win?
Much of the post-match discussion centered around the disallowed goal, but Schmeichel's error also handed Braga an advantage. Horta’s shot had a low expected-goals value of just 0.027, yet it slipped through the grasp of the experienced goalkeeper.
"He’ll be really disappointed with it," Rodgers said. "It’s a good strike, and it’s obviously moved a little bit, but I haven’t spoken to him about it."
In addition to the defensive lapses, Celtic's attacking struggles continued. Maeda has been forced into an unfamiliar role to accommodate Tounekti, and the midfield combinations employed by Rodgers have lacked the necessary sharpness and energy. They previously failed to break down Kazakh side Kairat Almaty over three-and-a-half hours, resulting in their exit from the Champions League.
This season marks the fewest matches into a campaign in which Celtic has had five games without scoring since the 1991-92 season. Supporters have raised concerns over a perceived lack of transfer ambition during the summer. Celtic's issues date back to February when they narrowly lost to Bayern Munich in the Champions League. Since then, they have not won 12 of their last 27 matches across all competitions.
"It was a poor Celtic performance," stated former Scotland forward James McFadden on Sportsound. "They lacked quality, which is something we’re not used to seeing with Celtic. I think the change of shape at halftime helped a little bit, but in the end, Braga deserved the win."
Defensive mistakes combined with a lack of attacking quality is rarely a recipe for success. "Not enough intent for me," commented former Celtic goalkeeper Pat Bonner. "Keeping the ball is fine, moving it around, but there’s not enough real intent in that final third. They were unable to defend, and there were big, big mistakes from Schmeichel."