Willie Collum’s VAR review has addressed Hyunjun Yang’s goal for Celtic against Rangers.
The goal stood, and rightly so, but some in blue-tinted quarters made claims that Benjamin Nygren had obstructed the view of Jack Butland from an offside position.
It’s a lesser-used justification for goals being disallowed, but Celtic fans were confronted with it recently when Nicolas Kuhn’s goal after less than a minute against Bayern Munich at Celtic Park was disallowed.
We all knew anyway that Ibrox fans were clutching at straws, and this has now been confirmed by Collum in his review show.
Should Celtic comment on the selective outrage after VAR’s reviews of the run-in decision?
VAR review confirms ‘no impact’ on Jack Butland for Hyunjun Yang’s Celtic goal
The audio reveals that, after the goal was given on-field, the VARs reviewed it meticulously.
They watch several angles and still images before deciding that Butland could see the shot being taken and that Nygren had “no impact” on the goalkeeper.
READ MORE: VAR audio rubbishes red card shouts for Alistair Johnston’s Celtic tackle vs Rangers
Collum explained: “There are two issues, it’s really important to emphasise.
“One is about line of vision, and [second] is about impact on the goalkeeper’s ability to make an attempt to save the ball.
“Firstly, the VAR team come to the conclusion that Jack Butland can see the shot, that he can see when the ball leaves the foot. The ball doesn’t deviate, it continues in that direction. It doesn’t deflect, it doesn’t change its trajectory.
“And then, the next thing they need to check is: does the Celtic player (Nygren), who’s in offside in front of the goalkeeper, does he make a movement towards Butland? Does he try to make a movement towards the ball?
“But he makes no attempt to interfere with the goalkeeper.
“We think that the goalkeeper can see this shot. And when the shot’s taken, it doesn’t change trajectory, it doesn’t deflect to anywhere else. It goes in the direction where it’s initially struck.
“And, therefore, it only comes down to a secondary question about: does the Celtic player do anything to impact on the goalkeeper?”
The VAR audio confirms what we already knew… but hysterical reactions continue 👀
SFA VAR review on Alistair Johnston’s tackle vs Rangers
Of course, this wasn’t the headline talking point regarding refereeing in this game. Many at Ibrox felt that Alistair Johnston should’ve been sent off for a tackle on Mikey Moore.
Collum addressed this too, confirming that the referees were right not to send the Canadian off.
The tackle was determined by all three of the on-field officials, the VAR officials and Collum to be reckless, constituting the on-field punishment of a yellow card.
Rather than having force on the area above Moore’s foot, the contact is correctly described as a ‘glance’.
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