Celtic advanced to the next round of the Scottish Cup with a 2-1 victory over Kilmarnock at Parkhead, but the post-match discussion was as much about referee decisions as it was about the game itself.
While Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes voiced frustrations over an officiating error he believes led to Celtic’s winner, Hoops boss Brendan Rodgers shifted the focus to his side’s inability to finish off the match earlier.
McInnes expressed his discontent with the referee’s handling of a key moment in the second half that culminated in Daizen Maeda’s winning goal.
He said:
“It should’ve been a foul for us. How the fourth official can give it the other way I don’t know. I saw it back, Auston Trusty fouled Watkins.
“Then they don’t take it from where the foul was, it’s 20 yards further forward. It was quickly put out to the other side while we’re still debating it and 20 seconds later it’s in the back of our net.
“If we’re not going to get the foul, at least make sure it’s taken from the right spot. Nicolas Kuhn is a top player and he slides Maeda in to score. There are acceptable ways to lose a cup tie and I thought we did that today.”
McInnes’ remarks implied that the referee’s decision tilted the match in Celtic’s favor, giving them an unfair advantage at a crucial juncture.
However, Brendan Rodgers addressed a different aspect of the game in his own post-match comments.
Rather than dwelling on refereeing decisions, Rodgers highlighted his team’s failure to convert chances during a dominant first half.
“The game should have been dead by half time,” Rodgers said bluntly (indirectly blaming his attackers for not taking their chances, which in return gave Derek McInnes the chance to talk down on Celtic’ win as a Referee mistake).
“That’s the reality because there were really good chances. Sometimes there are maybe half-chances, but there were so many good areas through really good bits of play and we didn’t quite take the opportunities.”
While Rodgers didn’t directly respond to McInnes’ criticism, his remarks carried an implicit counterpoint: had Celtic capitalized on their opportunities earlier, any referee error would have been irrelevant.
Celtic’s dominance in the opening half was evident, with wave after wave of attacks putting Kilmarnock on the back foot. Yet, a lack of clinical finishing kept the visitors in the game, allowing them to dream of an upset even as they struggled to match the Hoops’ intensity.
McInnes’ complaints about officiating, while pointed, did little to change the broader narrative of the match.
Celtic were the stronger side throughout, and while the winning goal may have had a controversial build-up, the onus was on Kilmarnock to prevent such scenarios from deciding the game.
For Celtic, the focus now shifts to correcting their wastefulness in front of goal. Rodgers knows that similar lapses in finishing could prove costly in tougher fixtures, particularly with Champions League commitments looming.
For McInnes, the defeat was a bitter pill to swallow, not only because of the refereeing decision but also because his team, despite a spirited effort, couldn’t create enough moments to trouble Celtic.
His comments may resonate with Kilmarnock fans, but Rodgers’ response to the match as a whole highlights why Celtic remain favorites in domestic competitions: they find ways to win, even when not at their best.
In the end, McInnes’ criticism of the officials and Rodgers’ critique of his own players offer two contrasting narratives from a tightly contested cup tie.
Both may hold elements of truth, but Celtic’s win was ultimately a reflection of their overall superiority on the day.
