The decision to award Daizen Maeda’s goal for Celtic against Hearts, which was initially flagged for offside, has been explained. The goal, which came with five minutes left, was allowed to stand after a VAR review.
VAR Overturns Offside Decision
David Roome initially raised the offside flag when Maeda put the ball in the net. However, Kevin Clancy in the VAR room reviewed the play and determined that Maeda was not offside.
Sky Sports showed an angle that appeared to show Maeda in an offside position when Marcelo Saracchi played the ball down the left flank. Despite the image circulating on social media, the pass before Maeda’s goal came from Callum Osmand, who was onside.
Osmand received the ball before pulling it back to Maeda in the centre of the box. Osmand later scored to complete the 3-1 victory.
Refereeing Experts Weigh In
Referees Steve Conroy and Des Roache praised referee Don Robertson and the other match officials. They cited the pressure the team was under.
In a post on The Ref’s View podcast X account, they congratulated Celtic and commiserated Hearts. They stated that the officials got the big calls right and kept control, while also condemning what they described as despicable scenes at the end of the game.
Responding to fans questioning the angle shown on Sky Sports, the referees clarified the Laws of the Game. They said that Maeda was not interfering with play because the ball was not passed to him. They added that those questioning the decision showed ignorance of the Laws of The Game.
Celtic won the game 3-1.