After a frustrating weekend where Dundee let a lead slip, the mood in their camp won’t have improved following their defeat at Celtic Park.
Despite a strong defensive showing for the first hour, Brendan Rodgers’ side eventually broke through, with the introduction of fresh legs proving decisive.
For 60 minutes, Tony Docherty’s men held firm, frustrating Celtic and forcing the home side into a triple substitution to shake things up.
However, Dundee’s resistance ultimately crumbled, and they conceded twice. Despite their disciplined first-half performance, they left Glasgow empty-handed.
Docherty’s post-match frustrations centred on the penalty decision that handed Celtic their second goal.
He argued that there was a foul on Mo Sylla in the build-up and that Antonio Portales, penalised for his challenge on Kyogo Furuhashi, had made a legitimate play for the ball.
“I do think there was a strong case that it was a free kick,” Docherty said.
“There were two hands on Mo’s back when he was trying to protect the ball. And I do think Antonio Portales gets a touch on the ball. So those two decisions, I think, made the decision for me that it shouldn’t be a penalty kick.”
However, Docherty’s complaints found no support from the KMI panel, which reviews key match incidents.
The panel stated, “The on-field decision was unanimously supported.”
In total, 23 incidents from recent Premiership and Premier Sports Cup fixtures were reviewed, with no incorrect decisions found.
For Dundee, the focus now shifts back to Dens Park, where they’ll look to bounce back from consecutive setbacks.