Gary Lineker called the awarding of a 99th-minute penalty to Celtic the “worst decision he had seen” after the Scottish Premiership title race took a dramatic twist.
Kelechi Iheanacho’s spot-kick secured a 3-2 win over Motherwell to send the title race to a final-day showdown against leaders Hearts.
Hearts manager Derek McInnes described the decision as “disgusting” as it leaves his side just one point above Celtic ahead of a title-deciding match in Glasgow on Saturday.
The penalty was awarded after former Hearts midfielder Sam Nicholson was penalised for a handball after challenging for a header, with the ball appearing to hit his leading arm before his head. Celtic defender Auston Trusty went down in the area after being caught by Nicholson’s arm and referee John Beaton was sent to the monitor by the VAR and immediately awarded a penalty.
It means Hearts will be crowned champions for the first time in 66 years if they avoid defeat at Celtic Park instead of Celtic needing to beat them by three goals on the final day.
Lineker wrote: “This might be the worst VAR decision I’ve seen (and there’s a lot of competition). Extraordinary given the significance.”
McInnes was also furious over the decision and told Sky Sports following Hearts’s 3-0 win over Falkirk: “Everybody was just interested in the score. So when you hear Celtic get a 96th-minute penalty, you just assume what’s happened is they get the penalty.
“And having seen it again, I think it’s disgusting, I don’t think it’s a penalty kick. But we’re up against it. We’re up against everybody and we’ll be ready for Saturday.”
Motherwell manager Jens Berthel Askou was also stunned by the decision. “The big question is what are we even doing here when things like that happen,” he said. “I’m in total shock. I thought I’d seen it all this year, but apparently I haven’t. It’s shocking, it’s a shame for the game.
“I thought it was a very unreal moment. I can’t see any way in any world where that could be a penalty. I can’t see a connection with the arm, but if there is it’s because he connects with Trusty and he pushes his arm up.
“It’s a shame that a good game, with good tempo and intensity gets decided in a situation like that.”
Celtic manager Martin O’Neill said: “I have seen it back very, very briefly – it’s a handball, it looks as if it’s also an elbow to the side of the head as well. VAR have asked the referee to come over and have a look at it, and he’s [had] no hesitation in giving the penalty.”
Former Soccer Saturday presenter Jeff Stelling also joined in on the outrage with the decision: “Seriously that is never a handball at Fir Park. The boy headed it 20 yards. The ref takes one look after VAR calls him over. Embarrassing for Scottish football.”
Two goals in five first-half minutes put Hearts in control against Falkirk, with Frankie Kent heading them into a 29th-minute lead and Cameron Devlin firing home from inside the penalty area.
Blair Spittal curled home Hearts’s third in the closing stages, soon after news of Motherwell’s late equaliser against Celtic had filtered through the stands.