Raging Andy Halliday slams 'abysmal' Celtic penalty decision against Kilmarnock

Celtic are back – and so are Scottish referee discussions.

Brendan Rodgers’ side returned to winning ways on Sunday with Kelechi Iheanacho’s last-gasp winner against Kilmarnock at Rugby Park.

In a game in which Celtic dominated, new signings Sebastian Tounekti and Marcelo Saracchi impressed despite a goalless first half.

Daizen Maeda’s bombshell transfer news from the international break was put behind him when he opened the scoring with a diving header from Saracchi’s cross.

But after David Watson’s equaliser for the hosts, a huge penalty decision gave Iheanacho the chance to win it. And for some, this has been hard to take.

Celtic penalty decision was mental, rages Andy Halliday

The spot kick was not given in real time, but when referee John Beaton was called to the monitor by the VAR, a point towards the spot was inevitable.

READ MORE: He only made one senior appearance for Celtic but could be playing Premier League football next season

But was it the right decision? It was made as a result of Lewis Mayo’s hand position causing a clear collision with the ball.

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Halliday wasn’t happy. Speaking on Clyde Superscoreboard, he said: “It’s deflected off a team-mate’s foot, half a yard away, and it’s not going into the goal.

“In terms of the word ‘subjective’, if you did a poll among football players – take Scotland out the way, they might have a biased opinion – on whether it should be a penalty, what do you think the results would be?

“I think it’s an abysmal decision. I think it’s really poor. I can’t understand how that’s deemed a penalty kick. People will tell me it’s an unnatural position for Lewis Mayo. Number one – I’d argue that it’s not.

“It’s not outwith his silhouette. If it’s hit from two or three yards away, it should be a penalty. If it’s deflected from half a yard away, I think it’s mental.”

What’s really mental is that there is already a nine-point gap between Celtic and Rangers in the table, five games in.

Is Kelechi Iheanacho Celtic’s new penalty taker?

Celtic have struggled to find a consistent penalty taker over the last few seasons.

The likes of Callum McGregor, Adam Idah and Reo Hatate have all missed decisive spot kicks, and the side could do with a reliable face from 12 yards.

Iheanacho’s composed demeanour indicates that he could be that guy, as does his penalty record. He hasn’t missed one since the 2020-21 season.

As long as the Nigerian is on the pitch, he is likely to take a few more this campaign.

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