Celtic have been officially vindicated by the Scottish Football Association after a key VAR controversy in their 3-1 win over Motherwell was thoroughly reviewed.
The flashpoint moment came midway through the clash at Celtic Park when Daizen Maeda went down inside the box under pressure from Emmanuel Longelo.
Referee John Beaton initially waved play on, ignoring Celtic’s penalty appeals. But after VAR official Kevin Clancy intervened and advised a review, Beaton checked the pitchside monitor and swiftly overturned his call.
A penalty was awarded, and Longelo was sent off for denying a clear goalscoring opportunity — a decision that proved to be a turning point in the match.
Celtic capitalized from the spot and, with a numerical advantage, went on to dominate proceedings and seal all three points.
Following the game, the SFA’s key match incident panel delivered a clear and decisive verdict.
The panel unanimously ruled that the initial on-field decision was wrong and that a penalty should have been awarded immediately.
They also fully supported VAR’s involvement, confirming it was correct to intervene and prompt the review.
There was no disagreement over the red card either.
The panel unanimously agreed that Longelo’s challenge denied Maeda a clear chance on goal, meaning the dismissal was the only appropriate outcome once the foul was given.
The incident had a massive impact on the game, not only handing Celtic the opportunity to score but also forcing Motherwell to play the rest of the match with ten men — a disadvantage that ultimately shaped the final result.
A second controversial moment was also reviewed, involving Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Elijah Just.
Despite calls from Motherwell boss Jens Berthel Askou for a red card, the panel disagreed.
They unanimously backed the referee’s decision to issue only a yellow, ruling that the challenge did not meet the threshold for a sending-off.
Overall, the panel’s findings reinforce the key decisions that defined the match — while highlighting VAR’s crucial role in correcting a game-changing call at a decisive moment.