Sportscene Panel Give Unanimous Verdict on Celtic Penalty Call vs Motherwell

Michael Stewart and Marvin Bartley agreed on Sportscene last night that Celtic should have had a penalty against Motherwell.

1-0 up in the first half, a line-breaking pass was played in behind the Steelmen’s rearguard. Winger Daizen Maeda latched onto it and found the back of the net, although the ball came off his hand before it trickled in.

The goal was disallowed, but the officials failed to spot Stephen O’Donnell’s blatant shove on Maeda’s back, which caused him to go down and hit the ball with his hand in the first place.

O’Donnell got nowhere near the ball, and had he not pushed Maeda, the Japanese attacker would likely have scored fairly and put his side 2-0 up.

Analysing proceedings on Sportscene, Stewart couldn’t comprehend why a spot-kick wasn’t given to the Hoops: “It was always going to be a disallowed goal, but it’s a penalty kick,” he said.

“I can’t for the life of me figure out how this had now been given.

“Daizen Maeda is going in a straight line. Stephen O’Donnell is trying to get in front of him to get the block on him – in terms of getting his body in front – but he never does, and there is a collision and it’s clumsy. It’s a foul. It’s a penalty kick. It’s clear as day.”

Stewart’s fellow pundit Bartley agreed. He said: “I am in total agreement with that. I don’t understand how if the referee does miss it that VAR doesn’t intervene, because that for me is a blatant penalty.”

Although the SFA is continually communicative with a weekly Key Match Incident Panel and monthly VAR Review Show, it would seem the number of inaccurate decisions being made in matches isn’t decreasing.

One cannot comprehend how VAR didn’t intervene and at least advise on-field referee David Dickinson to review the Maeda-O’Donnell incident.

Willie Collum’s explanation at the end of the month will be intriguing.