Braga 3 Celtic 0:CELTIC GAVE themselves a mountain to climb bigger than the rockface overlooking AXA Stadium last night after crashing to Braga in the Champions League third qualifying round first leg.
And they may have to turn the tie around next week without Aiden McGeady, whose Parkhead career could be over after he was left out of the squad for the club’s first competitive game of the season.
Life after the Republic of Ireland winger does not look very promising on last night’s evidence, with goals from Alan, debutant Uwa Elderson Echiejile and substitute Matheus condemning Neil Lennon to defeat on his European debut as manager.
Celtic failed to muster a single shot on target in sweltering conditions, with their opponents comfortably holding sway.
Lennon had insisted before the match that he would field winger McGeady – who is rumoured to want to leave – last night unless he was ordered not to pick him by the club’s hierarchy. Instead, four players were handed their competitive debuts, with summer signings Joe Ledley, Charlie Mulgrew, Efrain Juarez and Cha Du-Ri all in the starting XI.
Braga, whose summer recruitment drive dwarfed that of their opponents following the loss of some key men, handed debuts to Rodrigo Lima, and Leandro Salino. The hosts were playing their first ever Champions League game having finished second in Portugal last season.
Mulgrew made a bad early impression in a Celtic jersey with a fourth-minute yellow card for time-wasting at a throw-in. That was after Ki had sent a free-kick over the crossbar, won by lone frontman Georgios Samaras.
The heat was stifling and both sides looked a yard off the pace in what was their maiden competitive game of the season.
Indeed, there was no real goalmouth action until the 17th minute, when a cross from Shaun Maloney – out since October due to injury – was acrobatically cleared by Moises.
Braga broke up the other end and Lukasz Zaluska spilled a Paulo Cesar shot he should have held before Andres Madrid blazed his follow-up over from 20 yards.
Then, in the 25th minute, the hosts were awarded a controversial penalty when Ki was adjudged to have handled Miguel Garcia’s cross, earning a booking. Alan fired the spot-kick into the roof of the net to put Braga ahead.
Captain Scott Brown was flagged offside attempting to volley Mulgrew’s back-post cross, but it was Braga who were getting closer to legally getting in behind their opponents.
And, in the second half, Moises flashed a header wide before Lennon responded by introducing new boy Daryl Murphy for Maloney.
There was no legislating for the appalling defending that gifted Braga their second goal 15 minutes from time, Matheus’ corner missed by a host of players before Elderson bundled the ball home.
Lennon threw on Forrest for the disappointing Juarez knowing an away goal would change the whole complexion of the tie.
Charlie Mulgrew sent a free-kick wide which Mario Felgueiras had covered before Matheus showed how it should be done.
The substitute stepped up after a foul three minutes from time and blasted a shot to the top corner.
BRAGA:Felgudiraf, Miguel Garcia, Alberto Rodriguez, Moises, Echiejile, Madrid, Vandinho, Leandro Salino, Alan, Paulo Cesar, Lima.
CELTIC:Zaluska, Juarez, Hooiveld, Loovens, Cha, Mulgrew, Brown, Ledley, Ki, Samaras, Maloney.
Referee:S Gumienny (Belgium).
Att:20,187
Alan 26 pen, Echiejile 76, Matheus 89
