Celtic faced Sporting Braga in a dramatic match on October 2, 2025, at 21:08 UK time, which left both players and fans in disbelief. Celtic’s Kelechi Iheanacho launches a shot into the penalty area. His first-place shot was a key equalizer for the team. The jubilation was fleeting, as the goal was ruled out thanks to a contentious handball ruling.
The incident occurred during a tense phase of the match, where Celtic was striving to turn the tide against Braga. Iheanacho’s strike would’ve rejuvenated belief throughout the side as they looked to turn things around from going a goal down in the first half. VAR intervened, disallowing the goal for an alleged handball. This amateurizing decision sent both players and advocates up in arms.
Brendan Rodgers, manager of Celtic FC, couldn’t understand the logic of the cancel goal in a post-match broadcast interview. He challenged the legality of the handball call and whether it should dictate the outcome of the game. Rodgers underscored how important these decisions can be in influencing the tempo and pace of a match. He spoke out for more transparent guidelines on when to intervene with VAR.
The mood in the stadium changed completely after Iheanacho’s goal was disallowed. Fans directed their outrage at the club while Celtic fought to get back on track. The soccer gods conspired against them as a disallowed goal absolutely crushed the players’ morale. It ignited fierce discussions among fans and commentators regarding the impact—or lack thereof—of VAR technology.
Rodgers strongly emphasized the importance of having a consistent standard of officiating and having transparency in the VAR process. He agreed that although technology’s promise is to create fairness, how it is deployed is still up for debate. The manager’s remarks are symptomatic of the growing angst within the football community over the expanding role of technology in professional decision making.
As the game went on, Celtic were pushed further and further back by a relentless Sporting Braga who took full control of the tie. Celtic made several trips to try to even the score but were unable to breach the goal line again. The final whistle may have brought confirmation of Braga’s victory, but it left Celtic with plenty of questions to ask themselves, not least about that disallowed equaliser.
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