While Nick Walsh faced justified criticism for some of his decisions in Celtic’s 3-0 win over Dundee United, credit where it’s due—he made the right call in the build-up to Adam Idah’s sensational goal in the second half.
So often at Celtic Park, opposition players look to win soft fouls to disrupt Celtic’s rhythm, and more often than not, referees fall for it. But on this occasion, Walsh stood firm and allowed play to continue—leading directly to Celtic’s third goal.
A Refreshing Change
As the ball rolled towards a Dundee United player, he attempted to shield it by backing into Anthony Ralston, then collapsed to the ground, clearly trying to buy a free kick. It was the kind of move that has worked countless times before—but not this time.
Walsh rightly waved play on, and the only thing the United player achieved was handing Celtic easy possession. Five seconds later, the ball was in the back of the net, with Idah rifling home a fantastic finish to wrap up the victory.
There was a VAR check to review the possible foul, but even VAR had to agree—Walsh had made the correct decision.
More of the Same, Please
Celtic fans have grown used to seeing cheap fouls given against them in games like this, slowing down play and frustrating attacking moves. This time, a referee held his ground, allowing Celtic to play on and punish Dundee United for their attempted gamesmanship.
While Walsh had some questionable moments in the game, this was a decision worth praising—and one we’d like to see more often in Scottish football.
