Soccer Football - Scottish League Cup - Semi Final - Celtic v Kilmarnock - Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland, Britain - January 14, 2023 Kilmarnock's Kyle Lafferty in action with Celtic's Cameron Carter-Vickers Action Images via Reuters/Ed Sykes
Much of the after-match discussion at Hampden yesterday was over a late penalty claim by Kilmarnock after Joe Wright collided with Giorgos Giakoumakis defending a long throw into the Celtic penalty box.
It certainly feel into the ‘I’ve seen them given’ category but they’ve also not been given, two physical players straining for every advantage. Derek McInnes didn’t hold back with his view.
In this incident the SFA may have disadvantaged Kilmarnock by their choice of match officials, a VAR (Greg Aitken) that lives in Kilmarnock and was schooled at Kilmarnock Academy may have felt under pressure either way over awarding a stoppage time penalty in the semi-final of the Viaplay Cup.
Just the 3 Killy players pulling Carter- Vickers to the ground in their penalty box. pic.twitter.com/Qphn8qWlYL
— Lint (@Zeshankenzo) January 15, 2023
Earlier in the match there was another penalty call, one that the VAR would have reviewed just as carefully as the disallowed ‘goals’ from Reo Hatate and Daizen Maeda.
It almost seemed like a tag team effort as Ash Taylor, Wright and AN Other all impeded Cameron Carter-Vickers as he tried to head a cross ball.
Having ignored that claim the Wright/Giakoumakis incident might be more understandable.
Derek McHunness must have been looking the other way when that happened since he failed to mention it when whinging about penalties not given.
Funny that.
What immediately follows is Lafferty hitting the ball of Maeda into the net. Therefore since the goal was given there was need for VAR to check this incident.
How is that not a penalty the 3 killie players tatood him to the ground.
It was our first goal! Did you want a penalty instead?
First of all, we have to hold our hands up here! For the first time this season since the introduction of Video Assisting Rangers, (VAR for short), we got a break!
There are no ifs ands or buts! This was a blatant penalty for Killie.
I’m not saying we didn’t get similar missed calls yesterday and in every single game since Video Assisting Rangers was introduced, but it doesn’t make this call any different. Through sheer incompetence in our refereeing system, we dodged a bullet. Sure, they may have missed the penalty, but it was a penalty!
Secondly, the incident shown with three defenders all fouling CCV, was our first goal! This in itself is another shocker to me! Given our 50/50 penalty success/failure rate, I did expect Collum to give a penalty instead of a goal.
But look back at our outcry after each game we have been blatantly and deliberately cheated out of penalties and goals with the “squiggly” lines from the other end of Fir Park as an example, and when we finally get a break from one, we are in no position to shut down other managers for voicing their opinions either!
You’re right Joe, if we’re playing “Penalties” then it is a penalty! But the game is “Football” and there’s no way it was a penalty.
We’re so used to getting them given, even the Celtic supporters are complaining now, when they’re not given!!
Got it?
They didn’t miss it Joe! Collum saw it and decided, correctly, that blatantly, it wasn’t a penalty. For the reasons given below.
Got it now?
On the Giakoumakis “We’ve Seen Them Given”. Yes, we have certainly seen them given – undeservedly! So. the Killie player is not in possession of the ball; he’s facing away from goal; Giagoumakis is intending to play the ball and the Killie player is obstructing him and goes down with the merest of contact. Yes, we’ve seen them given, but Collum due, it was never a penalty and he got it right!