Andy Halliday believes the right outcome was reached after VAR intervened in the red card incident during Hearts’ dramatic 2-2 draw with Celtic, though he admits he is keen to hear the referee audio from the moment.
The flashpoint came when Auston Trusty hauled down Landry Kabore as the Hearts forward broke clear, albeit from a wide angle. Referee Steven McLean initially produced a yellow card, a decision that immediately frustrated the home players.
VAR official John Beaton quickly took a closer look and recommended an on-field review. After watching the replay at the pitchside monitor, McLean changed his decision to a red card, sending off the Celtic defender. Hearts later took advantage of their numerical superiority, with Claudio Braga grabbing a late equaliser.
Celtic manager Martin O’Neill was furious with the decision, arguing that both Liam Scales and Dane Murray were close enough to offer cover and that Kabore was moving away from Kasper Schmeichel’s goal when the foul occurred.
Halliday, speaking on BBC Sportscene, took a different view. He said his first reaction was that the challenge warranted a red card, even though he was surprised the referee was sent to the monitor after initially showing yellow.
He explained that viewers are not aware of the exact communication between the referee and VAR, but felt the officials ultimately arrived at the correct conclusion. Halliday added that while there may be some debate over the direction of the ball, he believed Kabore would still have reached it and had a clear chance on goal.
In his assessment, the distance of the covering defenders meant they were unlikely to prevent a shot, making the dismissal justified in his eyes.