Celtic and Aberdeen played out a dramatic 2-2 draw at Parkhead on Saturday, with both teams entering the match level on points and boasting 100% starts to the season.
Though many feared the game might not live up to the pre-match hype, it turned out to be a thrilling encounter—and a frustrating one for Brendan Rodgers’ Celtic side.
Jimmy Thelin’s Aberdeen earned a hard-fought point, leaving Celtic to rue a missed opportunity after surrendering a 2-0 lead.
For Rodgers, it felt more like a defeat, as his team went into the break comfortably ahead but produced a sloppy defensive display in the second half, allowing the visitors back into the game.
The second half saw the game lurch into chaos, with two controversial VAR decisions taking centre stage. Nick Walsh officiated on the pitch, while Greg Aitken handled VAR, but one decision in particular left pundit Michael Stewart searching for clarity.
Should Aberdeen’s Disallowed Goal Have Stood?
The main talking point came when Celtic appealed for a penalty, claiming the ball struck Duk’s hand on the goal line. Stewart, however, was quick to explain the situation.
“It comes off his thigh and then his midriff,” he said, ruling out any suggestion of handball.
But the more contentious incident came earlier when Aberdeen’s third goal was ruled out.
Speaking on the Scottish Football Podcast, Stewart questioned whether the ball had already crossed the line before it hit Duk’s arm—if it had, the goal should have stood.
“First of all, and I can 100% confirm on the penalty shout, it doesn’t strike Duk’s arm. It comes off his thigh and then his midriff. It was never a penalty kick,” Stewart said.
He continued: “The disallowed goal, though, I still don’t have complete clarity from the officials. It does come off Duk’s arm, but my understanding was that the law changed a few years ago—if it’s an accidental handball leading to a teammate’s goal, it wouldn’t be penalised.
“The real issue here is whether Kyogo Furuhashi touches the ball before it crosses the line. If he did, it would count as his goal. If it was already over the line and hit Duk’s hand after, then it should be disallowed.
“But I’m not sure we’ve had full clarity from the officials. The explanation we received was that it was ruled out because of a handball leading to a goal.
“That’s not quite the point—it’s about whether his handball was the decisive touch before it went over the line or whether Kyogo had already kicked it.”
The Handball Rule: What Changed?
In 2021/22, the rules around accidental handball were amended. Previously, if a goal resulted directly from any handball—accidental or otherwise—it would be ruled out. However, under the updated rules, if the handball leads to a teammate scoring, the goal can stand.
This is why Stewart sought clarity. Since the header deflected off Duk’s arm and towards the goal line, the question became whether the ball had already crossed the line or if Kyogo’s touch helped it over.
Defensive Issues Continue to Haunt Celtic:
Regardless of the VAR controversy, Celtic’s defensive collapse after half-time was the key reason they failed to secure three points.
Aberdeen took full advantage of the home side’s lapses in concentration, and Rodgers will know that similar mistakes cannot happen on the European stage.
Celtic’s recent heavy defeat to Borussia Dortmund is still fresh in the memory, and with a crucial Champions League tie against Europa League winners Atalanta on the horizon, they cannot afford another slip-up. The Bhoys must regroup quickly if they are to recover both domestically and in Europe.