The Scottish club's Video Assistant Referee Drama: Victims of Technology or Just Inadequate in Braga Defeat?

Kelechi Iheanacho called it "a terrible call". Fellow player Tounekti said it was "crazy". Former Celtic goalkeeper Joe Hart opted for "absurd".

Manager Brendan Rodgers lamented what turned out as a "crucial incident" when Celtic had an equalizing effort disallowed early in the second half in their Europa League match.

The Nigerian believed he had equalised for the hosts when he struck a effort with his left foot into the opposite side after breaking past a poor tackle attempt.

Nevertheless, after a extended check, VAR Christian Dingert instructed the match official to disallow the goal because of a suspected handball, despite replays seeming to indicate the ball making contact with the player's head.

"It didn't hit my hand, and that altered the game," Iheanacho stated.

Combine that with a few excellent saves by Braga goalkeeper Lukas Hornicek and the frustration is likely justified.

However during the match, Celtic committed mistakes of their own.

In the 20th minute, Ricardo Horta's strike from 33 yards swerved and dropped towards Kasper Schmeichel's goal, but the veteran keeper misjudged it and was ended up lying on the pitch as the visiting Braga players cheered the first goal.

A further defensive error in the second half led to Dane Murray's attempted clearance ricocheting off Gabri Martinez and into the back of the net.

It wasn't much better going forward for Rodgers' side, who played much of the second half with their leading scorer from previous campaign - Daizen Maeda - at defensive wing position.

Celtic failed to score for the fifth occasion in a dozen matches this season - the identical tally in which they drew a blank in the entirety of last season.

The Celtic manager switched to a three-man defense at half-time in an attempt to find a spark, with the forward dropping into a more defensive position and Marcelo Saracchi coming on for Colby Donovan.

The home side showed improvement and when Iheanacho beat the opposition keeper, the hosts were the side on top.

That momentum was halted by a lengthy video review, the result of which was unfathomable to the majority - possibly everyone - at Parkhead.

Former Celtic title-winning goalkeeper Joe Hart - on commentary duties - was in no doubt the goal would be given at the moment it happened.

"There's VAR reviewing for handball potentially spoiling everyone's enjoyment, but actually, it comes off his head," Hart remarked.

"What could they possibly be waiting for? They must be watching a alternative angle to me. Why are we wasting our time for? This is unacceptable."

In post-match comments, those in the Celtic camp were equally perplexed. "It was never a handball, it's unbelievable that the referee ruled out that," the midfielder stated.

"We reviewed the video multiple times and I discussed with Iheanacho about it. I'm really interested in what VAR saw because that was definitely not a handball."

"In my opinion if that goal stood we would win the game 100%."

Rodgers, also, was at a loss at how the referees arrived at the verdict they did.

"There's absolutely no way, however you look at it, [Iheanacho] has touched it [with his hand]," the team's boss stated. "That's a decisive incident in the game."

The majority of the post-match focus was on the disallowed effort, but the goalkeeper's error handed the initiative to the Portuguese side.

The effort from distance had an expected-goals value of just minimal probability, but it evaded the 38-year-old goalkeeper's grasp.

"He must be extremely upset with it," the manager said. "That was a good strike and it's clearly swerved a bit, but I didn't get to speak to him about it."

In addition to the mistakes at the back, this was yet another game where the team have struggled offensively this term.

Maeda is being played out of position to accommodate the new signing, while all central partnerships the manager has experimented with has been ineffective and energy.

They were unable to defeat Kazakh side Kairat Almaty over extended play as they were eliminated of the European competition.

And this is the earliest point into a campaign in which the club have had five matches without scoring since the early nineties.

Supporters have pointed out the apparent shortage of transfer ambition in the summer.

But the team's problems stretch back to February, when they nearly defeated the German giants before being eliminated of the premier European competition.

From that point, they have failed to win in almost half their games in every tournament.

"That was a poor Celtic performance," ex-international McFadden said. "Missing the usual standard, a trait we're unaccustomed to seeing with this team."

"In my view the tactical adjustment at the break helped a little bit, but in the final analysis the visitors deserved the win."

Defensive errors and a lack of attacking quality is rarely a winning combination.

"Insufficient urgency for me," ex-keeper Bonner commented. "Possession play fine, circulating possession, but not enough real intent in that attacking area."

"Not able to defend and big, big mistakes from the goalkeeper."