Celtic Suffer 2-0 Defeat to Braga in UEFA Europa League

Braga beat Celtic 2-0 in UEFA Europa League

Braga secured a 2-0 victory over Celtic in the UEFA Europa League. Ricardo Horta and Gabri Martinez scored the goals that handed Celtic their second defeat in the competition.

Braga gradually gained momentum in the game, and their efforts eventually paid off...

Celtic's UEFA Europa League campaign hit a snag as they suffered a 2-0 home defeat to SC Braga, earning only one point from their opening two matches. The visitors continued their perfect start, securing a crucial away win that marked their third victory in 11 away games in the competition.

The match began brightly for Celtic, with lively winger Sebastian Tounekti causing problems for Braga's defense. In the 13th minute, Tounekti cut inside from the left flank and unleashed a shot that tested Braga goalkeeper Lukas Hornicek's reflexes. Despite the early promise, Celtic struggled to create significant chances, while Braga's Ricardo Horta broke the deadlock in the 20th minute with a stunning long-range strike.

Braga gradually gained momentum in the game, and their efforts eventually paid off. Initially, Vítor Carvalho had a promising opportunity but failed to capitalize, fluffing his lines from just six yards out. However, Ricardo Horta made amends with a stunning goal on the 20-minute mark.

Horta unleashed a powerful shot from around 30 yards out, and the ball swerved past a stranded Kasper Schmeichel, who misjudged the trajectory entirely. The goal was a turning point in the match, giving Braga the lead and momentum.

FT#CelticSCBraga | #UEL | #CelticFC🍀 pic.twitter.com/SjqxNr2CWE

— Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) October 2, 2025

Braga's Danish veteran, Rony Lopes wasn't involved but a player soon created a scoring chance. Pau Victor looked to press Braga's advantage, but the opportunity fell short. The match remained relatively quiet until the final minute of the half, when Florian Grillitsch had a promising chance. He unleashed a first-time effort from the edge of the area, but it deflected just over the crossbar.

In stoppage time, Grillitsch was again at the center of the action. A chaotic scramble in the Celtic box saw him get a shot off, but it was blocked wide, denying him a chance to give Braga the lead before halftime. Despite the late flurry of activity, the teams headed into the break with Braga in control but still yet to score.

Os Arcebispos' struggles continued as they failed to keep a clean sheet in their recent UEFA Europa League away matches. However, Celtic created a potential turning point early in the second half when Kelechi Iheanacho intercepted a loose backpass between two Braga defenders and scored. Unfortunately for Celtic, the goal was disallowed after a VAR review showed Iheanacho had used his hand to control the ball.

Despite dominating the early stages, Celtic couldn't capitalize on their pressure. Meanwhile, Braga's Pau Victor had a promising counter-attacking opportunity just past the hour mark but failed to finish it, potentially altering the game's course. If Victor had scored, it would have worsened Brendan Rodgers' side's situation.

In the latter stages, Celtic pushed forward, delivering multiple crosses into the Braga box. However, their efforts didn't yield a goal until late in the match. With 11 minutes remaining, Cameron Carter-Vickers had a golden opportunity from a corner kick but headed the ball wide, squandering a chance to level the score.

Braga sealed their victory with a decisive counterattack in the 85th minute. Diego Rodrigues' shot was saved by Kasper Schmeichel, but Gabri Martinez pounced on the rebound. Although Liam Scales blocked the initial shot, Martinez charged down the attempted clearance and diverted the ball into the net, securing Braga's win. This victory marked back-to-back wins for Braga in the UEFA Europa League, while Celtic extended their winless streak to three matches in all competitions.

Key Moments

Ricardo Horta's Goal: Horta scored a beautiful goal in the 20th minute, unleashing a powerful shot from distance that beat Celtic goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel.

Lukas Hornicek's Save: Braga's goalkeeper made a crucial save in the 74th minute, denying Tounekti's powerful shot and keeping Braga ahead.

Gabri Martinez's Sealing Goal: Martinez scored Braga's second goal in the 85th minute, slotting the ball into the back of the net after Celtic failed to clear a cross.

Braga's victory marked a significant result for the Portuguese side, who dominated the match despite Celtic's early promise. The win extends Braga's perfect start to the campaign, while Celtic will look to regroup and bounce back from the defeat.

Key stats

• Celtic have failed to score in five of their 12 games in all competitions this season, as many times as they blanked in total last season in 57 matches 

• Tonight's loss is Celtic's first defeat in 20 games in all competitions

• Braga have kept a clean sheet in each of their last three games in the UEFA Europa League, a run of 318 minutes without conceding a goal