Celtic penalty claim: 'If we had VAR it might be a different outcome' for Daizen Maeda

Celtic thought they had a penalty in the closing stages of the first half at Ibrox – but went in at the break ahead regardless.

Moments before Cameron Carter-Vickers gave Celtic the lead at the interval, Daizen Maeda burst into the Rangers penalty box but hit the ground as Allan McGregor narrowed the angle. Pundits watching the incident, and subsequent replays were split on referee Willie Collum’s decision.

Pat Bonner on Radio Scotland said: “I think it’s a penalty and McGregor does that five-point save but he doesn’t make any contact with the ball and takes Maeda out of it.

“If it was me I would be claiming it,” admitted former Celtic player Stilian Petrov at half-time, summarising for Sky Sports. “It’s about Maeda’s first touch. When we looked at it first it looks a penalty but then we can see a different situation. Maeda takes the pass but the ball goes in a different direction and Allan McGregor is coming at pace. He has nowhere to go and I think in the end the referee made the right decision. I think it’s a good call.”

Celtic's Daizen Maeda goes down in the box looking for a penalty during a cinch Premiership match between Rangers and Celtic at Ibrox Stadium, on April 02, 2022, in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Rob Casey / SNS Group)

Ex-Rangers striker Kris Boyd has been a vocal advocate of VAR video analysis being introduced in Scotland and suggested it could have been used had it been available and former Scotland striker James McFadden alongside him added: “Its a delayed reaction. There is contact, no doubt about it and if we had Boydys’ favourite tool it might be a different outcome.”Sky’s Andy Walker: “He’s looking for a penalty there but I don’t see there’s any foul. McGregor does come out really well, but he misses the ball, Maeda.”

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