Ex-SFA referees share what they thought of controversial VAR decision to chalk off Celtic’s equaliser vs Hibs

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Celtic’s defeat to Hibs has caused all sorts of controversy over the last 24 hours.

The Bhoys’ first-half performance at Easter Road was the real reason that Celtic lost the match, however, the game could have been rescued had Daizen Maeda’s equaliser stood.

The Japanese winger thought he had scored his 24th goal of the season after he tucked home a spill from Hibs goalkeeper, Jordan Smith, but VAR had other ideas.

The video referee adjudged that the ball had crossed the Hibs byline before Alistair Johnston crossed the ball into the Hibs box and it was a decision that left Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers fuming inside Easter Road.

And it seems that the Celtic manager was well within his rights to be according to former SFA referees Des Roache and Steve Conroy.

• READ MORE: Brendan Rodgers accuses VAR of guesswork to disallow Daizen Maeda’s Celtic goal vs Hibs

Former SFA referees brand Celtic VAR decision vs Hibs ‘impossible’

The two former Grade One referees took to their social media account to deliver their verdict on VAR getting involved in the decision to chalk off Maeda’s goal and it will have every Celtic fan in agreement.

Taking to X, the former referees said, “We don’t have goal-line technology so it’s impossible to clarify whether the ball was still in.

“They can’t see it clearly from the angle they’ve got so not clear and obvious therefore shouldn’t have got involved.”

Steven McLean explains the decision to deny Daizen Maeda another Celtic goal vs Hibs

This will likely be one of the most talked about VAR decisions of the season. Thankfully, it didn’t cost Celtic anything in terms of the title race after Rangers’ defeat to St Mirren but on another day, the gap could have been closed at the top of the table.

So why did the goal not stand? Match referee Steven McLean explains the reason VAR denied Celtic their equalising goal.

Brendan Rodgers explains what the referee told him, “He [McLean] just said afterwards that it was a VAR decision, that it was factually out. Which will be interesting from the 18-yard line, if you don’t have the actual images.

“That’s what I’m saying, I don’t want to be overly critical until someone produces an actual piece of evidence that tells us the ball was conclusively out.”

What will also be interesting is to hear what the SFA’s KMI Panel will say when they review the decision over the coming weeks.