Celtic’s dramatic late penalty against Motherwell has triggered a furious reaction from Hearts head coach Derek McInnes, who believes his side are “up against everybody.” The late penalty, awarded in the 99th minute, ensured that the Scottish Premiership title race would go down to the wire. McInnes didn’t hold back, branding the decision as “disgusting.”
Controversial VAR Decision Keeps Celtic’s Hopes Alive
With Hearts seemingly cruising to a comfortable 3-0 victory over Falkirk, a late equaliser for Motherwell looked to have put Celtic three points behind. However, deep into injury time, VAR Andrew Dallas intervened. Dallas called referee John Beaton to the pitchside monitor following a challenge by Motherwell’s Sam Nicholson for a high ball.
Replays suggested the ball may have struck Nicholson’s head, rather than his hand. Despite the apparent evidence, Beaton pointed to the spot, and Kelechi Iheanacho converted the penalty, securing a 3-2 victory for Celtic.
The decision has been widely criticised. Former England striker Gary Lineker described it on X as possibly “the worst VAR decision I’ve seen… extraordinary given the significance”.
McInnes Rages at Penalty Award
McInnes was incandescent with rage after the match. “When you heard Celtic had a 96th-minute penalty going to VAR, you just assume they get it,” he told Sky Sports. He added: “It’s disgusting. We’re up against it, we’re up against everybody. I don’t think it’s a penalty. It’s so poor and it looks as though [Celtic] have been given it. They have been very fortunate.”
Had Celtic dropped points, Hearts could have afforded to lose by two goals at Celtic Park on Saturday and still be crowned champions for the first time since 1960. Now, they must avoid defeat to become the first side outside Celtic or Rangers to win the Scottish top flight in four decades.
Handball Law Under Scrutiny Again
The handball law is once again under the spotlight. A key factor is whether the arm is above shoulder height, with players deemed to be taking a significant risk in such cases. If the VAR believes the ball has touched a player’s hand or arm at head height, a penalty is likely to be awarded.
Some might argue that Nicholson’s arm was only in that position due to a duel with Celtic’s Auston Trusty. The question remains: did the ball actually hit Nicholson’s arm? Doubts persist, raising questions about whether there was a clear and obvious error that warranted VAR intervention and a match-winning penalty.
The way the ball flew back out of play suggested it came off Nicholson’s head. The VAR seemingly believed it came off his hand at the same time.
Hearts Look to Celtic Park Showdown
“It’s going to the last game. We’re delighted to be part of it,” McInnes stated. “To do it, we’re going to have to go and get a positive result. I’m looking forward to it already, there’ll be no feeling sorry for ourselves. What a game it’s going to be.”