Ismaila Soro 'development' in focus as Celtic loanee handed lukewarm red card defence by Arouca boss

Celtic loanee Ismaila Soro has been handed a half-hearted defence from FC Arouca boss Armando Evangelista after a straight red card after just 10 minutes against Boavista.

The 24-year-old looked like a promising signing for Celtic when he arrived from Bnei Yehuda in January 2020 but he has struggled to deliver on his potential. He started just six times under Ange Postecoglou last season - his final one coming against Real Betis in a Europa League dead rubber before being shipped out to Portugal on loan this summer.

Soro has made himself a regular for the the Primeira Liga outfit having started four out of the last five games, but a clumsy challenge on Gaius Makouta in the opening exchanges on Sunday saw the Ivorian given his marching orders. With an option to buy in his loan from the Scottish Premiership champions, Evangelista was left clutching at straws after the full-time whistle as he told Soro he had plenty left to improve on.

Speaking on red cards, the boss told Record : "Sometimes it makes me want to say that we need to standardise the criteria we have (for red cards). I get sad sometimes because it gives the feeling that the disciplinary criteria are not uniform for all teams. I don't question the expulsions, but all the criteria (for fouls) throughout the game. Simulations are yellow, one player beats the other in the area, is tapped on the foot, falls and is ordered to follow.

"Fouls in which the law of advantage is given and then it is not turned back to show yellow. There are a number of moves that if we scrutinised. There was a lot for the players who were sent off to develop and improve on. It's not the right place to it (in the press).”

READ NEXT