In a rain-lashed Celtic Park, Sporting Braga outclassed Celtic 2-0 in a Europa League league phase clash, exposing frailties in Brendan Rodgers’ side.
Ricardo Horta and Gabri Martínez scored to secure a deserved victory for the Portuguese outfit, leaving Celtic reeling with just one point from two games.
The 58,000-strong Celtic faithful braved the deluge, but optimism faded fast. Celtic, unchanged from their 1-1 draw with Red Star Belgrade, started with Kasper Schmeichel in goal, a back four of Anthony Ralston, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Liam Scales, and Kieran Tierney, midfielders Paulo Bernardo, Callum McGregor, and Alex Nygren, and attackers Rocco Tounekti, Kelechi Iheanacho, and Daizen Maeda.
Braga, buoyed by a 1-0 upset over Feyenoord, deployed a 4-2-3-1, with Horta orchestrating behind Abel Ruiz.
Braga struck first in the 20th minute when Schmeichel misjudged a Scales back-pass, allowing Horta to round him and slot home.
Celtic struggled to respond, their rhythm disrupted by Braga’s high press. Iheanacho went close, his low drive skimming wide, but goalkeeper Matheus Hornicek was rarely tested. A Nygren free-kick rattled the bar, but Celtic trailed at the break.
Rodgers switched to a back three post-interval, introducing James Forrest for Maeda. Celtic pushed, with Carter-Vickers ‘ header hitting the post from a Tierney corner.
Controversy followed: Iheanacho’s rebound goal was disallowed for a dubious handball by Tounekti after a lengthy VAR check, deflating the hosts.
Braga capitalized in the 72nd minute; substitute Martínez, on for Bamba Dieng, latched onto a Diego Rodrigues cut-back, firing a low strike past Schmeichel. Despite late changes, including Adam Idah for Iheanacho, Celtic couldn’t recover.
Braga’s 52% possession and 14 shots (xG 1.8) underscored their dominance. Rodgers lamented defensive errors, eyeing a response against Sturm Graz.
For Braga, Horta’s brilliance and Vicens’ tactics evoked their 2010 triumph here, while Celtic’s European woes deepen.
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