It was a massive night for Celtic in the Champions League – and it came with some massive calls from the match officials.
It was Norwegian Rohit Saggi who was on duty as the Premiership champions booked their play-off spot in Europe’s elite competition – and he endured a busy evening in Glasgow’s east end as the Scottish champions ensured progress to the knockout stage of the competition. Loris Benito’s own goal secured progression for the Hoops as they made history in the revamped format of the competition.
Saggi and the team in the VAR room had a busier night than they would have expected with a number of talking points coming out of the blockbuster showdown. But did the whistler get the big calls right on the night? Record Sport takes a look.
Kyogo offside ‘goal’
The Hoops thought they had made the breakthrough within the first 10 minutes against the ropey Swiss defence. Kyogo was slipped through by Daizen Maeda before finding the net before the offside flag quickly went on. Speaking to BBC Sportsound, Pat Bonner said: “For me, he’s two or three yards offside. He went early.”
Daizen Maeda ‘penalty’
There was screams from a raucous Parkhead crowd for a penalty as Daizen Maeda went down in the box under a challenge by Young Boys’ Cheikh Niasse. The defender had his arm on the wide man as he collapsed to the ground – but the whistler waved away the claim and was backed up by Marco Di Bello in the VAR room. Joe Hart on TNT Sports commentary said: “I would have totally understood if he gave that.
“He’s all over him, I don’t think it would be overturned if given. It was really clumsy.
Neil Lennon went one step further at the break. He added: “I thought the one one Maeda was a clear penalty. A clear penalty.”
Callum McGregor foul
Kyogo would find the net once again – and would be be denied for a second time at Celtic Park. The play would be pulled back for a foul by Callum McGregor on Cheikh Niasse – with the man in the middle chalking the goal off after VAR sent him to the pitch side monitor.
Mark Wilson in the Sky Sports studio admitted: “I didn’t see it at the time but I must have had my Celtic-tinted specs on. McGregor does catch the calf of the Young Boys defender. I would imagine this is going to be rule out.”
Second Kyogo offside ‘goal’
The ball was in the net once again as Daizen Maeda found Kyogo lurking at the back post. The striker would tap the ball in and the linesman would quickly raise his flag. Former Parkhead goalkeeper Joe Hart couldn’t offer any support to his ex-teammates, stating: “It’s the right call again. They need to hold the run, they don’t need to go early.”
Greg Taylor penalty
Young Boys’ Darian Males fouled Celtic’s Greg Taylor in the box conceding a penalty. Man in the middle Saggi would instantly point to the spot. Hart would declare: “Brilliant from Greg Taylor, never giving it up. It’s soft, of course it’s soft, but who cares?”
Arne Engels would miss from 12 yards with the golden chance passed up Neil Lennon at the break would admit: “It’s a little bit soft, but I’ve seen them given.”
Mark Wilson offered back up the left-back stating: “It’s rightly given this time. Males yanks him back just as he is about to cross it.”
Daizen Maeda red card
The winger was involved in an off the ball incident with Mohamed Ali Camara as he appeared to kick out at the Young Boys centre-back. Baffled Joe Hart said: “That isolated incident – of course he has kicked out – but you just have to rewind a couple of seconds to see Camara has done exactly the same.
“It is a red card, you can’t do that. He is usually so calm. He is so sharp. He has just taken that little bit too much from Camara – and it has just got to him. It has just got to Daizen for a second there, and he has just lost his cool.”
Neil Lennon added: “He has lashed out. It’s so unlike him. You see it back and it looks soft, it maybe could have been a yellow.”