Daizen Maeda lands unanimous Celtic penalty verdict as VAR faces stinging probe after 'clumsy' Motherwell flashpoint

Celtic have been told they should have had a penalty during the clash with Motherwell after Daizen Maeda was bundled over the in the box.

With the Scottish Premiership champions leading 1-0 at Fir Park, it would appear that Brendan Rodgers' side had claimed their second of the afternoon after the Japan international tapped the ball into the net under pressure from Stephen O'Donnell. But after the ball trickled into the net off of Maeda's arm confusion set in at Fir Park - with the Celtic players initially congratulating the wide man for the strike while the winger appealed for a penalty kick amid Motherwell players protests to referee David Dickinson.

The VAR team would tell the whistler to delay play while the incident was checked before the goal was chalked off - but no information was provided on the decision over a potential foul on Maeda. When the incident was flagged on BBC Sportscene, baffled Michael Stewart quickly cut in: "It was always going to be a disallowed goal, but it's a penalty kick. I can’t for the life of me figure out how this had now been given.

"Daizen Maeda is going in a straight line. Stephen O’Donnell is trying to get in front of him to get the block on him - in terms of getting his body in front - but he never does, and there is a collision and it’s clumsy. It’s a foul. It’s a penalty kick. It's clear as day."

Marvin Bartley added: “I am in total agreement with that. I don’t understand how if the referee does miss it that VAR doesn’t intervene, because that for me is a blatant penalty.”

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