Motherwell can have no complaints about the penalty they conceded against Celtic - and the Hoops could've had another, according to a former ref.
With the game level at 0-0 and approaching half-time, Well Keeper Aston Oxborough tangled with Yang Hyun-Jun in the box, with referee Ross Hardie pointing to the spot - and Arne Engels taking full advantage to open the scoring. The incident was labelled "soft" by Steelmen gaffer Stuart Kettlewell after the game, but former English Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher says that the Lanarkshire side could have no complaints with the decision.
Speaking on Sky Sports' Ref Watch, Gallagher said: "I talk about this all the time. He's gone as a defender, the goalkeeper, he goes with his feet. If that's a defender, a full-back, making this challenge then it's going to be a penalty all day. It has to be a penalty." And Gallagher also felt that Motherwell were fortunate to have avoided conceding a spot kick earlier in the match following a VAR check for a potential handball against Kofi Balmer.
The defender challenged Adam Idah for a Paulo Bernardo cross with his arms in the air, and Gallagher said: "Luckily for him he didn't make contact, but look where his arm is. Why would you do this? If it as much as brushes his hand then it's going to be a penalty."
Motherwell boss Kettlewell had hit out at referee Hardie for the decision, saying: “At the time my gut feeling was that it was soft in terms of how the Celtic player went down from what I felt was minimal to little, if any, contact." The frustrated Well gaffer was also disappointed to see forward Tawanda Maswanhise booked for diving in the box, adding: "I don't think it's a penalty, but it's not a dive. I'm kind of blown away by
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