An English as a Foreign Language (EFL) standout has criticized a controversial penalty decision that favored Celtic over Aberdeen, labeling it as appalling.

The turning point unfolded in extra time, following Aberdeen taking the lead with a Bojan Miovski goal, only to be followed by strikes from Nicolas Kuhn and James Forrest for Celtic. Ester Sokler’s late effort extended the game into an additional 30 minutes, during which Matt O’Riley put Celtic ahead. However, the match took a contentious turn.

Cameron Carter-Vickers appeared to have brought down Aberdeen’s Junior Hoilett in the penalty box, leading to a moment of disbelief for the defender and heightening Celtic’s anxiety over a penalty kick. Surprisingly, referee Don Robertson awarded a foul to Celtic for an earlier Hoilett foul in the buildup to the goal.

The game eventually progressed to a penalty shootout after a thrilling Angus MacDonald header, with Celtic emerging as 6-5 victors. Jack Grimmer, the right-back from Wycombe who began his career at Aberdeen, expressed incredulity at the events unfolding, sharing on social media: “It gets worse every time you see it. A truly terrible decision.”

During the co-commentary for Premier Sports, Michael Stewart remarked: “That’s what they’ve given it for? No way. The challenge on Alistair Johnston on Junior Hoilett. That’s really harsh. That’s unbelievable. There’s nobody from the Celtic team even calling for it.”

Stewart added, “That’s astonishing, it really is. It’s a penalty. I think the officials have erred in this instance. Don Robertson has given a foul to the defending team. I don’t understand why he allowed the game to go on if he believes it should have been a free-kick.”

With the win, Celtic now set up a final clash against Rangers next month, marking the first time the Old Firm derby will feature in the tournament’s final showdown since 2002.