Celtic and Aberdeen have stretched their lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership to six points over Rangers after a weekend filled with drama and controversy.
Aberdeen’s spirited comeback at Parkhead stole the headlines, as Jimmy Thelin’s half-time team talk spurred his side to battle back from 2-0 down and earn a 2-2 draw against Celtic.
The result offered Rangers a golden opportunity to close the gap in the title race, but Philippe Clement’s side failed to capitalise, losing 1-0 to Kilmarnock at Rugby Park.
While the football itself generated plenty of excitement, it was the contentious VAR decisions at Celtic Park that sparked debate.
Former SFA Grade One referee Des Roache weighed in on two major flashpoints, offering a robust defence of the officiating decisions made during the match.
Duk’s Handball Controversy Sparks VAR Defence:
The first incident on Roache’s radar was Aberdeen’s disallowed goal, where Duk was deemed to have used his hand to help the ball past Kasper Schmeichel. VAR intervened to overturn the goal, a decision Roache wholeheartedly agreed with.
Speaking on the Behind the Whistles podcast, Roache dismissed criticism of the decision, particularly suggestions that VAR was favouring Celtic.
“I think it’s rather pathetic that some people are commenting that VAR has kept Celtic at the top of the league,” Roache said.
“VAR hasn’t kept Celtic at the top of the league. The laws of the game and the application of the laws of the game have helped Celtic stay where they are because that goal was disallowed.
“But exactly as you said, it was a factual call. And the laws of the game say that that cannot be allowed to stand as a goal. End of discussion.”
Roache doubled down on his stance, adding: “In fact, the only thing with my notes, the only thing I’ve got is a Duk handball, correct decision, because it’s illegal to score a goal with your arm. So it’s a non-discussion point.”
McCowan’s Penalty Decision Praised as ‘Fantastic’:
Another key incident involved a late challenge on Luke McCowan, where Celtic felt they were denied a penalty. Referee Nick Walsh ruled that the trip occurred outside the box, a call Roache described as “fantastic.”
“That just shows you a good old-fashioned referee, and that’s what a good referee does,” Roache said.
“And it’s irrelevant that the Celtic player fell in the box. He kind of jumped into the box. It’s not where you land, it’s where it started, and so that’s a fantastic shout.”
Roache commended Walsh’s precision. “When you see it, you go, ‘Oh, how close is it?’ And you see when Nick puts down the line, I mean, it’s only a matter of inches away from the penalty area line. But no, it’s easy to criticise, but that was a fantastic, fantastic decision. And Nick was all over it.”
Roache noted that Walsh had made both key decisions correctly. However, he did not address another contentious moment involving Duk, where some thought the striker may have blocked a goal-bound effort with his arm.
Yet many observers believe the ball deflected off Duk’s thigh, which may explain why Roache considered it another “non-discussion point.”
VAR Review Looms:
These contentious calls are likely to feature in the SFA’s upcoming VAR Review, scheduled for next month. Celtic supporters will be eager to hear insights from Willie Collum and the officiating team on how they arrived at their decisions in such a crucial match.
With the title race heating up, every point matters. While Celtic and Aberdeen extended their lead over Rangers, the controversy surrounding VAR will undoubtedly linger, adding further intrigue to an already fiercely contested campaign.