Kelechi Iheanacho was controversially denied a goal as Celtic slipped to a 2-0 Europa League defeat against Braga on Thursday night.
The Nigerian forward thought he had equalised six minutes into the second half, latching onto a defensive mix-up and calmly finishing past Lukas Hornicek.
Referee Tobias Stieler, however, ruled the strike out for handball, a decision that left Celtic players and fans bewildered after television replays showed the ball had struck Iheanacho’s face rather than his arm.
VAR official Christian Dingert upheld the call after a lengthy review, adding to the frustration.
The incident came after a shaky first-half display from Kasper Schmeichel had already handed Braga the lead.
Ricardo Horta’s speculative effort from distance caught the veteran goalkeeper off guard in the 20th minute, the ball dipping awkwardly before Schmeichel’s attempted save diverted it into his own net.
Brendan Rodgers responded with tactical changes at the break, introducing Marcelo Saracchi and pushing Kieran Tierney into a back three.
The switch lifted Celtic’s energy, with Iheanacho, Tierney, and Sebastian Tounekti all testing the visitors’ defence, only for Hornicek to stand firm with a string of fine saves.
As Celtic pressed for an equaliser, Braga punished them late on. Substitute Gabri Martinez pounced on a rebound with five minutes left, sealing victory and leaving Rodgers’ side with just a single point from their opening two group games.
Off the pitch, tensions between the Celtic board and supporters continued to simmer. While fan groups had shelved plans for a symbolic 29-minute silence after agreeing to talks with directors, chants calling for chairman Peter Lawwell to resign echoed around the stadium following Braga’s second goal.
Despite a bright start and spells of attacking promise, Celtic’s European campaign already looks precarious, with defensive lapses and a contentious refereeing call overshadowing their night.
