Celtic’s impressive 3-1 victory over St. Johnstone yesterday brought much joy to the fans, with Kyogo Furuhashi, Nicolas Kuhn, and James Forrest shining brightly for the Hoops throughout the match.
Furuhashi, the dynamic Japanese striker, was nearly sidelined by a few offside calls while narrowly missing a goal when his shot hit the bar in the second half. A remarkable goal by right-back Alistair Johnston was unfortunately later disallowed.
During stoppage time, officials added seven minutes to the clock, largely due to numerous VAR reviews. Despite past frustrations with VAR decisions, manager Brendan Rodgers viewed the extensive VAR involvement in a positive light for his team.
In a post-match interview, Rodgers expressed a different sentiment than in previous games, noting the many VAR decisions made and linking them to the team’s aggressive performance: “[There were] lots of VAR decisions today, but that’s also a compliment to the team because we had so many aggressive moments in the game. So that’s a good sign for myself.”
With an impending trial by the SFA, Rodgers refrained from criticizing officiating matters and chose to stay cautious. One might speculate whether he would have addressed the denied penalty incident involving a handball on the line in the first half had he not been under scrutiny.
Celtic’s successful conversion of chances in the match leaves no room for worry, as the team confidently secures the top position on the table as they head into the international break.
