New footage has emerged online of the controversial VAR decision in the match between Hibernian and Celtic.
Celtic looked to have equalised late in the game as Daizen Maeda fired home from closer range before a VAR review.
The goal was then chopped off with the ball deemed to have been out of play before Alistair Johnston crossed into the box.
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The goal was initially given before a VAR review with referee Steven McLean informed the ball was out of play and a goal kick was awarded with the goal ruled out.
According to Brendan Rodgers, McLean told the manager the decision was a factual one on whether the ball was in or out and made by VAR official Alan Muir.
VAR protocol indicates that the on-field decision should only be overturned or a review stated on factual calls or when it is deemed there is evidence to suggest the referee missed something or made the wrong decision.
IFAB laws state: "3. The original decision given by the referee will not be changed unless the video review clearly shows that the decision was a ‘clear and obvious error’."
A later section reads: "For factual decisions e.g. position of an offence or player (offside), point of contact (handball/foul), location (inside or outside the penalty area), ball out of play etc. a ‘VAR-only review’ is usually appropriate but an ‘on-field review’ (OFR) can be used for a factual decision if it will help manage the players/match or ‘sell’ the decision (e.g. a crucial match-deciding decision late in the game)."
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The new video clip on social media shows the moment Johnston crosses the ball from an angle on the goal line. The clip has been shared on social media with a slo-mo showing Johnston connecting with the ball and the chance the bay may have still be in play.
Celtic captain Callum McGregor was stunned by the decision to disallow the goal. He said: "Yes, absolutely. We’ve seen all the angles.
"The bench was convinced that it was a goal. The linesman didn’t put his flag up, so the on-field decision is a goal. From what we’ve seen then, it’s a big call to overturn.
"That’s part of the game. People make mistakes and you have to accept it and get on with it."
Rodgers said: "Obviously, I am disappointed with the goal that was disallowed as our momentum was high in that point of the game.
"I’m hoping to see conclusive evidence that it (the ball) was out. The linesman, on this side, he had his flag up quite a lot today — but, for the goal, he clearly had one of the best views in the ground and he kept his flag down, which tells me that he felt it was in.
"If it’s the case, then you’ve got to go and review it with VAR, but you’re taking an angle from the 18-yard line. If you’re taking the angle from the 18-yard line, and you can tell me that you can absolutely say 100 per cent (it was out), you’re having a guess.
"These are big games to be guessing in, especially at this point in the season. So we were disappointed with that, and that’s what killed our momentum a little bit. I felt it was harsh on the team."
