Furious Celtic boss Elena Sadiku was given her marching orders for clapping referee Jamie Wilkie after Rangers received a “dubious” penalty during a breathless 3-2 win for the Ibrox side.
The Parkhead boss was booked by the man in the middle amid her remonstrations over the call to award the visitors a penalty for an apparent foul from Shannon McGregor on Charlie Devlin. Katie Wilkinson converted to make it 2-1 but the Swede was fuming and received a yellow. That was upgraded to a red after her clap in the direction of the match official.
Celtic twice cancelled out goals from Rio Hardy and Wilkinson side through Caitlin Hayes and Saoirse Noonan but were undone after Chelsea Cornet’s audacious winner. And Sadiku – who pledged to be a calmer figure on the touchline – was once again in trouble with the referee. But the call to give Rangers a penalty didn’t impress Gemma Fay.
Speaking as the co-commentator on Sky Sports, 202-times capped Scotland keeper Fay, said: “There will be questions asked about this, depending on if you talk to a defender or an attacker. McGregor goes in, I actually think that’s a foul from Devlin on McGregor. But it’s not a women’s Old Firm match without a dubious penalty. Those are the rules, aren’t they?”
Celtic now trail Rangers by four points and leaders Glasgow City can go five clear later on Sunday.