Plenty have had their say on Celtic’s controversial penalty award which set them on their way to a thumping 5-0 Scottish Cup win over Morton at Parkhead. And it seems from the reaction of the home bench that even they reckon the Hoops might have been fortunate with the spot kick.
A video taken from the stand captures Celtic substitutes Reo Hatate, Matt O’Riley and Sead Haksabanovic all looking over Kevin Clancy’s shoulder as he studied the monitor behind the home dug-out after Craig Napier in the VAR room had asked the referee to check a potential handball by Ton stopper Efe Ambrose.
Morton gaffer Dougie Imrie was unhappy at the time it took for Clancy to look at the incident and a clip circulating on social media shows the frustration from the home support over the length of the time it took while Hatate, O’Riley and Haksabanovic appear to find the whole thing quite amusing as they peer behind Clancy.
Twitter user @fast_sin posted the clip on social media, saying: “Check out the hilarious facial expression of Reo Hatate as Kevin Clancy deliberates over the VAR penalty decision at today's Celtic - Greenock Morton Scottish Cup tie. Matt O'Riley and Haksa also find the proceedings quite amusing whilst Imrie rages.”
Morton were the only club to vote against the introduction of VAR into Scottish football and Cappielow gaffer Imrie was unhappy with the spot kick award. He said after the game: “I thought we did well in the first 15 minutes but then obviously VAR changes everything. No-one really sees anything, but it goes back to VAR and we get a penalty given against us. I’m glad that I don’t have to deal with that (VAR) week in, week out because it does take an eternity. But I don’t know how Efe’s meant to get his hand out the road; it takes a deflection and it’s so close to him. I just don’t know how they can give a penalty when there’s a deflection off someone else on to Efe’s hand.”
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