VAR Rules Daizen Maeda Celtic Goal Offside in Hearts Win
Daizen Maeda's celtic goal offside scare ended with Celtic getting the decision. With five minutes remaining against Hearts, assistant referee David Roome raised his flag, but VAR ruled there had been no offside in the build-up and the goal stood.
Maeda And Osmand
Kevin Clancy drew the VAR lines and judged the move legal after Marcelo Saracchi played down the left flank and the ball was slipped to Callum Osmand before he pulled it back to Maeda in the centre of the box. Osmand was onside when he received it, which is why the flag went up on a chance that never should have been pulled back.
Maeda's finish mattered immediately because it came with the match still tight. Osmand later scored to complete Celtic's 3-1 victory, and the title was sealed with the last kick of the ball.
Officials Stand By Robertson
Referees Steve Conroy and Des Roache praised Don Robertson and the match officials after the game, saying they got the big calls right and kept control. Their response also addressed criticism of the VAR angle shown afterward, including: “He is not interfering with play as the ball was not passed to him.”
They added: “That, sadly, shows your ignorance of the Laws of The Game. Basic.” The officials also posted: “Congratulations to Celtic on winning the title. Commiserations to Hearts on a very valiant effort.”
The sequence left Hearts arguing from behind a raised flag, but the review overruled it and the result held. Celtic walked away with a 3-1 win, Maeda got the goal that counted, and the late decision fit into a title-clinching finish rather than a stoppage-point dispute.
