Disputed Handball Decision Overshadows Celtic's European Defeat to Braga

Kelechi Iheanacho found himself at the heart of a highly disputed handball ruling as Braga claimed a two-nil triumph over the Scottish giants. The Nigerian striker appeared to have equalized the game in the 51st minute, only for the effort to be disallowed by match authorities.

Equalizer Ruled Out During Hand contact Controversy

Iheanacho had taken advantage of a loose pass from a set-piece to block a defensive clearance from ex- Celtic player Gustaf Lagerbielke before drilling the ball home. Television recordings clearly showed the ball hitting the player's face, with zero obvious sign of hand contact. In spite of this, the VAR confirmed the on-field decision after an lengthy examination.

Match referee Tobias Stieler issued the original call, with video referee Christian Dingert supporting the questionable decision.

The Scottish side's Aggravating Evening

During a end-to-end second half, Celtic pressed for an equalizer, with shots from Kieran Tierney and Sebastian Tounekti being saved by excellent keeping. The home side finally ended up with just a single point earned from their first two fixtures after Gabri Martínez netted from nearby with 5 minutes remaining.

• Keeper Kasper Schmeichel endured a difficult evening, conceding possession several times.
• Ricardo Horta's long-range strike in the 20th minute dipped unexpectedly, surprising Schmeichel off guard.
• Defenders Liam Scales and Kieran Tierney executed vital challenges to keep Braga at bay.

Thrilling Penalty Sequence in French side vs Italian club Fixture

In another Europa League match, Lille secured a one-nil win over Roma thanks to a early finish from Hákon Arnar Haraldsson. The French club took advantage of an initial error to seize the advantage after just six minutes.

The game reached a thrilling finale when Roma were granted a last-minute penalty after a hand contact by Aïssa Mandi. Incredibly, Lille keeper Berke Özer stopped 3 back-to-back penalty attempts in the dying minutes.

1. Artem Dovbyk's original penalty was saved, but the official ordered a second attempt due to the goalkeeper stepping early.
2. Dovbyk's next effort was also stopped by Özer, who repeatedly advanced too soon.
3. A final spot-kick was attempted by Matías Soulé, but Özer made one more excellent stop to confirm the victory.

Controversial calls and thrilling penalty saves characterized an memorable matchday in the Europa League.