Celtic’s turbulent few weeks came to a dramatic end with a 2-1 win over Kilmarnock at Rugby Park. The victory was sealed by debutant Kelechi Iheanacho’s stoppage-time penalty, which has sparked controversy. Lewis Mayo was penalized for handball after James Forrest’s shot hit his arm, but former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher questioned the call.
The Match
Celtic dominated the game, with Daizen Maeda scoring the opener in the 56th minute. However, Kilmarnock equalized in the 83rd minute with David Watson’s header. Iheanacho’s penalty in the 96th minute secured the win for Celtic, propelling them to the top of the Scottish Premiership table ¹ ².
Controversial Penalty
The penalty decision has divided opinion, with Gallagher describing it as “extremely harsh.” He believes the referee wouldn’t have awarded the penalty if he hadn’t been sent to the VAR screen, given that the ball had deflected off a teammate before hitting Mayo’s arm. Former Arsenal and Cardiff City player Jay Bothroyd agrees, calling it a “poor, poor decision” and admitting he would have likely received a red card for protesting the call ².
Post-Match Reactions
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers acknowledged the challenges ahead but expressed delight with his players’ performance. Kilmarnock boss Stuart Kettlewell expressed frustration with the penalty decision, stating that his team stuck to their game plan and were unlucky ¹.
