Celtic fans were left scratching their heads after yet another baffling VAR decision saw a goal chalked off against Motherwell at Fir Park. The incident in the 52nd minute, which should have seen Celtic extend their lead to 3-1, was ruled out in controversial circumstances, with the lines drawn in a manner that raises serious questions about the consistency and accuracy of VAR in Scottish football.
Inconclusive Evidence, Yet a Goal Disallowed
The situation unfolded when Adam Idah cut the ball back from the bye-line, only for Motherwell’s Tom Sparrow to inadvertently knock it into his own net. It seemed like a clear and legitimate goal, but VAR intervened to assess whether Idah had strayed offside in the build-up.
The issue? The images shown to justify the offside call were, at best, inconclusive. The lines drawn looked arbitrary, with no clear angle proving beyond doubt that Idah was actually ahead of the last defender. In fact, the stills presented by the VAR team appeared poorly calibrated, leaving supporters, pundits, and even players questioning the legitimacy of the decision.
VAR at Its Worst
Scottish football has already had its fair share of VAR controversy, but this incident felt like another level of farcical officiating. The technology is supposed to eliminate doubt, yet all it did was create more confusion. The angles used in the decision-making process didn’t provide a definitive answer, and yet the officials confidently ruled out what looked like a perfectly good goal. If the decision was truly that tight, shouldn’t the benefit of the doubt go to the attacking team?
Motherwell Let Off the Hook
Had the goal stood, it would have all but killed off Motherwell’s hopes of getting back into the game. Instead, the home side were given a lifeline they barely deserved, and Celtic were left to battle for their victory rather than sealing it in the early stages of the second half.
The frustration is clear—how can these decisions continue to be so inconsistent? The lack of transparency in how these offside lines are drawn is becoming a major talking point, and Celtic, once again, have been on the wrong end of a highly questionable call.
A System That Needs Fixing
If VAR is to maintain any credibility in Scottish football, there needs to be a serious rethink about how it is implemented. The technology is meant to ensure fairness, but right now, it’s doing the opposite. Celtic got the result in the end, but this was another example of how flawed the system currently is.
Fans deserve better, players deserve better, and the game itself deserves better. Until major improvements are made, these controversies will continue to overshadow the football itself.
