Celtic’s late winner against Falkirk on Wednesday was correctly awarded, according to former PGMOL chief Keith Hackett.
Benjamin Nygren scored the decisive goal as Celtic edged past Falkirk 1-0 at the Falkirk Stadium, making it back-to-back victories under Martin O’Neill. While the performance was not especially convincing, O’Neill was satisfied to see his side claim all three points.
The Northern Irishman only returned to the club last week, less than two months after stepping aside following the appointment of a new manager. Wilfried Nancy’s spell in charge proved short-lived, with Celtic dismissing him after just 33 days after five defeats in seven matches.
Hackett believes goal was rightly allowed
The winning goal sparked frustration among Falkirk supporters and fans of rival Premiership clubs, but Hackett insists there was no reason for it to be disallowed. Nygren’s header from an Arne Engels corner was clean, with the controversy instead centred on Daizen Maeda’s involvement.
The Japanese forward was positioned close behind goalkeeper Scott Bain as the corner was delivered and made contact with him, knocking him off balance. Bain was not looking at Maeda at the time, and while the nudge may have affected his ability to challenge for the ball, VAR did not intervene.
Hackett told Football Insider that such incidents are part of the game. He said football is a contact sport and goalkeepers encounter this type of challenge regularly, adding that the officials were right to allow the goal. He also suggested that extending the one-metre separation rule used at free kicks to corner situations could help reduce the physical grappling that often goes unpunished.
McGlynn praises Falkirk effort
Falkirk manager John McGlynn chose not to dwell on the disputed goal, instead highlighting his side’s performance. He felt his players were unfortunate to come away empty-handed after a strong display, particularly with Kasper Schmeichel producing an excellent performance in goal.
The Danish goalkeeper made six saves on the night and earned praise from McGlynn, despite the frustration of being unable to find a way past him. McGlynn said his team created good chances, especially in the first half, and were denied again after the break by a superb stop. He added that he was devastated for his players, who gave everything and largely kept Celtic quiet throughout the match.