Referee Willie Collum has defended the decision of not sending off Celtic player Alistair Johnston in their recent match against Ross County, despite criticism from former Rangers player Kris Boyd. Johnston was involved in a controversial incident where he bundled over County’s Kieran Phillips on the goal-line, leading to a penalty but no card for Johnston.
Boyd expressed his disbelief on Sky Sports, arguing that Johnston should have been shown a red card for denying a goal-scoring opportunity. However, Collum explained on the SFA’S VAR Review that the incident did not meet the criteria of an obvious goal-scoring opportunity, as the foul occurred while the ball was still in mid-air near the penalty area.
Despite the controversy, Jordan White converted the penalty for Ross County before Celtic went on to win 4-1. Boyd’s criticism and Collum’s explanation shed light on the complexities of match officiating and the interpretation of rules within football.
