Ange Postecoglou isn't sure what constitutes handball in the box any more.
The Celtic boss believes his side were denied a spot-kick against Hearts in their 4-3 win at Tynecastle two weeks ago after the ball appeared to strike Michael Smith on the hand. Ball to hand was the explanation given. The Aussie was even more bewildered on Saturday when a Steven Fletcher header into the arm of an oblivious Alexandro Bernabei was awarded against the champions.
He wasn't the only boss bemoaning VAR calls this weekend. The night before, Lee Johnson felt the eye in the sky got it wrong when Aberdeen were given a penalty against his side at Pittodrie. It was saved then scored after a retake, but it was the award that irked the Easter Road boss rather than what came after.
Then at Tynecastle on Sunday afternoon, Hearts won despite having Jorge Grant dismissed, scoring three goals against Motherwell. But their chances of keeping them out at the other end should have been reduced as far as the Steelmen were concerned, after Craig Gordon escaped a second yellow when he conceded a spot kick. Record Sport's VAR review looks at the contentious calls from another Premiership weekend.
Aberdeen vs Hibs
The Friday night football at Pittodrie saw a two-fold VAR call in the first half. Luis Lopes went down as Hibs keeper David Marshall tried to slide out and beat him to a through ball.
Initially, VAR was checked as to whether the former Benfica man was onside. It showed that he was, then the decision was whether or not Marshall had fouled him.
Duk looked like he was already on his way down and then fell into Marshall, ensuring he made contact with the former Scotland number one. David Munro went to the screen and ultimately decided that Marshall had fouled the Portuguese forward, and awarded the spot kick.
There was more fun and games, however. Miovski saw his spot-kick saved, although Marshall clearly had both feet off his line before saving with his legs. A retake was ordered, and despite going the same way, Miovski succeeded at the second attempt.
The Macedonian made it 2-0 with a free header from a corner after the break. Ylber Ramadani’s bouncing volley from the edge of the area put the game beyond Hibs before Mykola Kukharevich’s consolation was awarded after another VAR check for offside. Leighton Clarkson rubbed salt in thee wounds with a cheeky backheel after Ryan Porteous had inexplicably let a low cross across the six yard box go without clearing it.
Lee Johnson felt VAR got the penalty award wrong and claimed there was a “subliminal bias” whenever the ref is called over to view the monitor. He said: "I didn't feel it was clear and obvious and it took an age to get through. If it takes that long, it's probably not, but I suppose I am bias in that sense.
"The one he's off his line you can't really argue with as that's the rule. I think that (going to the monitor) goes with a subliminal bias as he's hearing he needs to check a decision. If you look at the numbers, for every 1,000 times the ref has gone to the VAR screen, maybe 998 of those they've stuck with the programme from inside."
Celtic vs Dundee United
The major VAR flashpoint in this one concerned the penalty Dundee United were awarded that allowed them to equalise in the first half. Sead Haksabanovic had fired the Hoops in front before Alexandro Bernabei was penalised after Steven Fletcher’s head struck the back of his arm with the Argentinian facing the other way.
No appeals came from anyone in tangerine, but VAR halted the game and asked for a check on a potential penalty. David Dickinson went over to the touchline monitor, and returned to the park pointing to the spot, much to Ange Postecoglou’s fury. Fletcher himself took it and squared things up.
Haksabanovic then squeezed a volley past a less than convincing Mark Birighitti to restore Celtic’s lead. But United hit back again with three minutes left when Dylan Levitt’s cross went straight in.
The drama wasn’t over though, as Kyogo Furuhashi won it in stoppage time with a late header. Liel Abada chipped in an even later fourth just to make sure.
On the penalty award, Postecoglou said: "I just think the way it looks, apart from if we're playing Hearts away, it hits your hand in the box it's a penalty. I don't even know why they bother with natural, unnatural, Berna wasn't even looking at the ball, how is he to know his arm is in an unnatural position? It basically means if the ball hits your hand in the box it's a penalty. If that's the way they want to define it.”
Hearts vs Motherwell
It was a tale of a red card shown and a second yellow not at Tynecastle as ten-man Hearts battled to a 3-2 win over Motherwell. Jorge Grant’s challenge on Callum Slattery five minutes before half-time resulted in a straight red card. A VAR check was made, but Kevin Clancy was backed up by his colleagues in Clydesdale House and Grant walked.
Despite their numerical disadvantage, Hearts got themselves two goals ahead. Andy Halliday headed home just before half-time, then arrowed a fine strike into the corner shortly after the interval.
However, the Steelmen were given a lifeline when Louis Mouly beat Craig Gordon to the ball in the box before being caught. Gordon was adamant that he got a touch on the ball, but a VAR review didn;t change the call, and Moult halved the deficit.
Gordon had been booked for dissent after Grant’s red, and many were wondering why he wasn;t shown a second after fouling Moult. The line from the officials after the watch seemed to be that the striker had taken the ball away from goal.
It was to prove a crucial call despite Blair Spittal’s leveller for Stevie Hammell's team. Alex Cochrane’s cross was clearly handled in the area by Sondre Solholm with just a minute left. Lawrence Shankland fired home the winner from 12 yards, before Gordon had the last save with an excellent save from a long-range Sean Goss effort in stoppage time.
Neilson didn't believe Grant should have been ordered off and was disappointed that a review didn’t overturn Clancy’s decision. He said: "I'm very disappointed (in the decision). I didn't think it was a red card. The referee has made the decision quickly but I'd have thought that, with VAR, he'd have gone and had a look at it.
"His explanation to me was that Jorge was high and out of control. Looking at it, I don't think he was high at all, I don't think he was reckless.
"But Kevin decided not to look at the monitor. It's his prerogative but I'm sure he'll look at it again and have a different opinion.”
Opposite number Hammell was also confused as to why Gordon wasn’t sent off for a second booking. He added: "We never really want that scenario in terms of players getting sent off. But where he is on the pitch, I'd like to have known why it wasn't at least a yellow card.
"Anywhere else on the pitch it's a yellow so it should be in the penalty area - but that's not why we've come away with the defeat so I don't want to dwell on it too much.”
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