SFA panel delivers verdict on Celtic and Rangers penalty calls and Connor Barron high boot

A Scottish FA panel has determined that Celtic were wrongly denied a penalty kick against Motherwell last weekend.

The Hoops claimed a 3-0 win at Fir Park on Sunday but saw a first-half goal disallowed following a VAR review when Daizen Maeda was found to have put the ball into the net with his hand as he fell in the box. However, the Key Match Incident Review Panel, which meets each week to examine major incidents from the previous weekend's matches before voting on whether the on-field decision and any subsequent VAR interventions were correct, found that Celtic should have been awarded a spot-kick for a push on Maeda by Motherwell defender Stephen O'Donnell which was not spotted by referee David Dickinson or VAR operator Alan Muir.

Celtic's Daizen Maeda scores before it is ruled out for a handball after a VAR check - but a penalty should have been awarded for a foul by Motherwell's Stephen O'Donnell. (Photo by Craig Foy / SNS Group) | SNS Group

The report read: "After a lengthy discussion on the incident, the majority (4:1) of the panel deemed this should have firstly been identified as a foul by the on-field Referee and an on-field review should have been recommended by the VAR when the penalty was not awarded. As the goal was correctly ruled out for handball, the majority of the panel (4:1) felt the penalty-kick should have been awarded as this offence occurred before the handball. One panel member felt the decision not to award the penalty-kick was correct and that no intervention was required. The panel also noted that, in line with VAR protocol, VAR could not advise on any sanction for the offending player during a potential OFR, which must be decided by the On-field referee.”

Made up of five people who work within Scottish football, each panellist casts one vote on each KMI, with the outcome of each review determined by majority decision. In total, the KMI panel reviewed 16 incidents from the six William Hill Premiership matches which took place over the weekend of October 26 and 27. They found that no other incorrect outcomes were reached - including the decision not to recommend a VAR review for a possible red card for Rangers midfielder Connor Barron for a high boot on St Mirren's Toyosi Olusanya.

Rangers midfielder Connor Barron correctly avoided a red card for his challenge on St Mirren's Toyosi Olusanya, according the the SFA's KMI panel. (Photo by Rob Casey / SNS Group) | SNS Group

Former SFA referee Des Roache commented this week stating that the tackle was "identical" to the one that resulted in a red card for Celtic winger Hyun Jun-Yang last season for a challenge on Hearts' Alex Cochrane, and should have resulted in the same sanction being given. However, the KMI panel saw it differently, with the report stating: "The panel agreed the incident shouldn't have resulted in a red card, however did agree that a caution for the offending player could be supported."

The panel was split, however, over the decision not to award St Mirren a penalty for a foul on Olusanya by Neraysho Kasanwirjo while the match was level at 1-1, with only a slight majority (3:2) deeming the on-field decision by referee Callum Scott not to award a spot-kick to be correct. The report added: "Two panel members felt a penalty should have been awarded and that VAR intervention should have taken place."

There was also a penalty shout for Rangers in injury time when Cyriel Dessers went down under the challenge of St Mirren goalkeeper Ellery Balcombe. But the KMI panel found no case to answer. "The on-field decision was unanimously supported," the panel concluded.