CONFIRMED: VAR BLUNDER COSTS CELTIC GOAL

CELTIC were condemned to defeat against Hibs at Easter Road last weekend because of a VAR blunder.

A goal from Daizen Maeda that would have made the scoreline 2-2 in the 83rd minute was nullified on the say-so of screen technician Alan Muir after onfield referee Steven McLean had given it the okay.

The SFA’s Key Match Incident panel have looked again at the flashpoint incident and have stated the goal should have stood, confirming that VAR made an incorrect intervention.

Muir wiped out the strike after believing the ball had gone out of play when Johnston whipped over the cross that saw keeper Jordan Smith push it in front of Maeda who thundered the rebound into the roof of the net.

CROSSING LINES…Alistair Johnston fires over the ball for Daizen Maeda to score against Hibs only for VAR official Alan Muir to wrongly rule out the goal.  

Whistler McLean signalled a goal, as did his assistant linesman, but the off-the-field official overruled their decision and Celtic were robbed of a second goal.

Following their review of the controversial incident, the SFA’s five-member panel concluded by a 4-1 majority that the goal should have been given and that VAR was wrong to intervene.

It was stated: “The majority (4:1) of the panel deemed the on-field decision of goal to be correct. They felt the factual VAR intervention for the ball being out of play was incorrect. One panel member felt VAR was correct to intervene as they believed one of the angles showed the ball out of play.”

Muir has been left out of the referee appointments for this weekend.

ALEX’S ANGLE: BLURRED VISION