SC Braga Defeats Celtic in Champions League Match
Scottish Premier League (SPL) runners-up Celtic face a mammoth challenge as they look to qualify for this season’s UEFA Champions League. In the first leg of their qualifying tie against Sporting Club de Braga, they fell to a 3-0 defeat.
The Hoops fell a goal behind after 26 minutes when Brazilian forward Alan Osório da Costa Silva slotted away the penalty resulting from Ki Sung-Yeung’s handball. Elderson Uwa Echiejile doubled the advantage for the Portuguese league runners-up after taking advantage of poor defending. The Nigerian international prodded home from a corner after 76 minutes. The rout was completed by Matheus Leite Nascimento, who curled a 30-yard free kick past goalkeeper Lukasz Zaluska in the dying minutes.
Lone striker
Celtic opted to field a 4-5-1 formation, with Greek Georgios Samaras as the lone striker. Of manager Neil Lennon’s new signings, four made the starting line-up: full-backs Cha Du-Ri, and the returning Charlie Mulgrew, along with midfield pair Joe Ledley, and formerly of Cardiff and Mexico World Cup player Efrain Juarez. However, winger Aiden McGeady could not even grab a place on the bench, fueling rumours that he may be set to leave Celtic Park. McGeady had been suffering from a thigh injury. But ahead of the game, Lennon said: "He's in contention to start. I spoke to him briefly before we went to America and haven't had the chance to sit down and talk to him since then. But, judging by the way he's trained, he's fit, which is a bonus." Midfielder Shaun Maloney was instead given his first start in his first competitive game since October. Defender Andreas Hinkel was also left out of the squad.
Samaras managed to win an early free-kick, which Ki thumped over the crossbar. Amid the energy-sapping heat, both teams made a lethargic start to the game and Mulgrew saw himself receive a yellow card for time-wasting after just four minutes.
Braga were awarded a penalty after Miguel Garcia’s cross struck the arm of Ki. Alan stepped up to strike the ball into Zaluska’s top corner. The strike looked to have given the hosts confidence and their new signings, Rodrigo Lima and Leandro Salino, began to cause problems for Celtic. Salino saw a strike deflected wide of the goal after some solid play.
Free header
Lennon’s side continued to struggle after half-time and were fortunate not to go two goals down after Moises squandered a chance from a free header, nodding the ball wide. The Bhoys’ manager tried to add some spark into his side by introducing new signing Daryl Murphy, with the striker taking the place of Maloney.
Though Celtic were struggling to get themselves back into the game, their opponents did not look like they were capable of dishing out further damage until a second goal was handed to them. Mulgrew failed to snuff out the threat of Alan as the striker delivered a cross, which Zaluska turned out. With Glenn Loovens seeming stuck fast, Echiejile was first to get a touch on the resulting corner and doubled the hosts’ lead.
With time running out for Celtic to snatch an all-important away goal, Braga had an opportunity from a free-kick. Substitute Matheus stepped up to hammer a strike past a meagre defensive wall, dipping the ball under the bar and past the flailing arms of Zaluska.
The result leaves Celtic with it all to do in the return leg next week at Celtic Park. Should they fail to overcome the three-goal deficit, they will drop into the Europa League competition instead.
Teams:
Braga – Felgudiraf, Alberto Rodriguez, Moises, Miguel Garcia, Echiejile, Madrid, Leandro Salino, Vandinho, Paulo Cesar, Lima (Matheus 66), Alan (Helder Barbosa 90).
Celtic – Zaluska, Cha-Du-Ri, Loovens, Hooiveld, Mulgrew, Brown, Maloney (Murphy 70), Ki Sung-Yeung, Juarez (Forrest 79), Ledley, Samaras.
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