What was said: More clarity into Celtic and Aberdeen VAR call
Celtic and Aberdeen shared the spoils in an afternoon of drama at Parkhead on Saturday.
The two teams went into the match level on points and with 100% starts to the new season, as many feared the game wouldn’t live up to the hype.
Unfortunately for Celtic, it did and it ended up costing the team, with Jimmy Thelin’s fearless Aberdeen side securing a point.
On the other side, the 2-2 draw against the Dons felt like a defeat for Brendan Rodgers because the team were cruising at the break, only for a very poor defensive showing when they came back out.
All the drama seemed to have been left for the second half because there were two very big VAR calls made.
Nick Walsh was the on-field referee and Greg Aitken was on VAR duty, with Michael Stewart perplexed and wanting clarity for one call.
Should Aberdeen’s third goal against Celtic have stood?
Celtic cried for a penalty when it looked like the ball had struck Duk’s hand on the line, but Stewart shared that it ‘comes off his thigh and then his midriff’.
But it was the much earlier chalked-off Aberdeen third goal that left Stewart with more questions than answers, as he told the Scottish Football Podcast.
He was in no doubt it accidentally hit Duk’s arm, but Stewart questioned if the ball was fired over his own line by Kyogo Furuhashi beforehand, by which case, it would be a goal to Aberdeen.
“First of all, and I can 100% with the penalty shout at the end, it doesn’t strike Duk’s arm,” insisted Stewart. “It comes off his thigh and then his midriff. It was never a penalty kick.
“The disallowed goal. I still don’t have complete clarity from the officials on it because it comes off Duk’s arm, there is no question about that, but my understanding was that the law changed about three years ago so that if there was an accidental handball that leads to a teammate scoring, then it wouldn’t be penalised.
“So, for me, the real important point here is does Kyogo kick it before it goes over the line and would that constitute being else scoring or is the ball already over the line, in which case, it has come off Duk’s hand and it would be disallowed. I am not totally sure that what we have heard back from the officials was that it was over the line and it was a handball. We have asked that question. The interpretation that seems to be passed onto us was that it was a handball that led to a goal, but that’s not the defined factor. I would think it’s whether his handball is the final touch before it crosses the line or whether it’s Kyogo who kicks it before it goes over the line.”
Brendan Rodgers, Manager of Celtic, acknowledges the fans after the Premier Sports Cup Quarter Final between Celtic and Falkirk at Celtic Park on S…
The handball rule before scoring
In 2021/22, the rules were tweaked regarding accidental handball leading to a goal. If a goal was scored, regardless of intentions, straight after hitting your hand or arm, then it would be ruled out.
But now, if your teammate were to score a goal, and in the lead-up, it would accidentally hit your hand or arm, then that goal would stand.
That’s why Stewart asked the question because the header came off Duk’s arm, it was heading towards the goal line, and now it’s a case of whether it was already over the line or Kyogo helped it over.
Either way, Celtic’s defence went missing against Aberdeen for that second half and that can’t be repeated in the Champions League.
The Bhoys’ heavy defeat to Borussia Dortmund is still stinging and they will want to put it right away at Europa League winners Atalanta.