The SFA’s Key Match Incident (KMI) panel has overwhelmingly concluded that Daizen Maeda’s disallowed equalizer for Celtic in last Saturday’s 2-1 defeat to Hibernian at Easter Road should have stood, reigniting debate over the use of VAR in Scottish football.
With Celtic trailing 2-0, Maeda appeared to level the score after converting a cross from Alistair Johnston. Initially, referee Steven McLean awarded the goal, with assistant referee David Roome keeping his flag down.
However, VAR official Alan Muir intervened, informing McLean that the ball had gone out of play before Johnston’s cross, leading to the goal being ruled out.
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers expressed frustration at the decision, questioning the validity of the VAR intervention. Rodgers argued that the call was based on inconclusive evidence, describing it as “a guess” by Muir.
His criticism has now been supported by the KMI panel, with four of its five members agreeing that there was insufficient evidence to overturn the on-field decision.
The panel’s report stated: “The majority (4:1) of the panel deemed the on-field decision of goal to be correct. They felt the factual VAR intervention for the ball being out of play was incorrect. One panel member felt VAR was correct to intervene as they believed one of the angles showed the ball out of play.”
Rodgers had said after the match: “My take is that the (VAR) official Alan Muir has had a guess at it because the linesman arguably has the best view in the stadium and doesn’t give it. For that to get overturned, then I’m assuming there’s an absolute clear image of the ball being out of play. My experience up here with VAR is that we don’t have all the angles. They don’t have the equipment to say it’s conclusively out. You’re actually viewing it from a secondary position which is a higher position. At that point, you’re having a guess.”
This incident has further fueled criticism of VAR in Scotland, with Muir at the center of another controversial decision earlier this season.
During December’s League Cup final, Muir and assistant VAR Frank Connor failed to identify a foul by Celtic’s Liam Scales on Rangers’ Vaclav Cerny inside the penalty area.
Both officials were subsequently stood down the following weekend on the orders of referees chief Willie Collum.
Collum’s latest VAR Review show, which is expected to address the Easter Road controversy, is not due until next week. His stance on the incident—and whether Muir will face any consequences—remains unknown for now.
The decision has left Celtic fans frustrated, as the disallowed goal potentially cost their team a crucial point in the title race, while also raising broader questions about the consistency and reliability of VAR in Scottish football.
