CELTIC fired blanks for the fifth time this season as they crashed 2-0 to Sporting Braga at Parkhead last night.
The misfiring Hoops failed to score in two Champions League qualifiers against Kairat Almaty before being dumped from the elite competition 3-2 on penalty-kicks.
Brendan Rodgers’ team could score against Russell Martin’s strugglers at Ibrox and followed that with another scoreless stalemate against Hibs in Glasgow at the weekend.
Now they have added the Portuguese outfit to their disappointing sequence although it would have been a different story if it hadn’t been for a mystifying decision to rule out a Kelechi Iheanacho strike shortly after the interval which would have brought the hosts a deserved equaliser.
MOMENTS FROM CONTROVERSY…Kelechi Iheanacho leaves Gustaf Lagerbielke on the ground as he prepares to score the goal that was ruled out by VAR in baffling circumstances.
After another dismal European experience, this time in the Europa League, Rodgers reflected: “We’re just in a moment where we can’t find the goal or get the break that you need.
“It’s definitely frustrating that we didn’t get something from the game.”
On the bewildering no-goal verdict, the Hoops gaffer said: “We’re still waiting to hear what the reason was. It was a pivotal moment in the game.
“We started the game well and after 20 minutes, when they get the goal, I thought they then controlled the rest of the first-half.
“We changed the structure of the team at half time, we were more aggressive and then we get the goal.
“For the life of me, I don’t understand why it wasn’t given because it’s not even close to being a handball. We’re still waiting for an explanation for that decision.”
Rodgers, speaking to Celtic TV, added: “Their keeper has made a fantastic save from Sebastian Tounekti and we’ve arrived in to good areas and they’ve blocked it well.
“You want to win your home games and we didn’t do that. We can’t blame anyone else but ourselves.
“We need to now get ready for the weekend and after the break we’ll have Sturm Graz.
“If we’re going to make any real impact in the competition, we’ll have to win that game.”
Next up at Parkhead are Motherwell in the Premiership on Sunday afternoon.
WE WANT ANSWERS: CELTIC RAGE AFTER VAR ‘NO GOAL’ VERDICT
