Keith Hackett: VAR gets Rangers v Celtic controversy wrong
Rangers and Celtic were once again overshadowed by tonnes of controversy as they battled to a 1-1 draw at Ibrox on Sunday.
Most of the drama was off the pitch, with the away crowd spotted with pyrotechnics and the home faithful displaying a shotgun-themed tifo and throwing missiles.
On the pitch, VAR was at the heart of things, disallowing a Nico Raskin header before overturning an offside call to allow Adam Idah’s equaliser.
Nick Walsh let down by VAR
Daizen Maeda was flagged offside as he appeared to step in front of Liam Kelly as Idah scored, but that was overturned upon review.
Keith Hackett was left scratching his head, as he believed the initial offside call was right.
The ex-FIFA official suggested that the Japan international was offside and interfering with play as the equaliser went past Kelly.
“It was the correct call of offside,” Hackett said of the original decision.
“The player in the offside position is interfering with the goalkeeper’s sight line.”
Ferguson whimpering out at Ibrox
Having still not won a game at home since his interim appointment, things are slowly coming to an end for Barry Ferguson in this role.
He will likely move on at the end of the season once the American takeover is finalised, but he can take away some cracking memories, like the win away at Celtic and beating Fenerbahce in the Europa League.
As much as Rangers and Celtic are expected to win everything in Scotland, you need luck along the way, and Brendan Rodgers got that as this goal was allowed.
With the title already secured for him, the goal and draw that followed stopped Rangers from making it three Old Firm wins in a row at Ibrox on Sunday.
| Rangers | 3-0 | Celtic |
| Celtic | 2-3 | Rangers |
| Rangers | 1-1 | Celtic |
The 49ers Enterprises and Andrew Cavenagh are getting ever closer to an announcement in Govan, and big changes are needed to ensure domination in the future.
If done correctly, these huge games and others may not be decided by one VAR call, which has so often been the case under Willie Collum and his sorry team.