“‘VAR Chaos Saves Celtic’s Title Hopes!’ – Bobby Madden Breaks Silence on Parkhead Draw Controversy”

October 21, 2024

Celtic’s flawless run in the SPFL hit a snag as they were held to a thrilling 2-2 draw by Aberdeen at Celtic Park. The Hoops stormed to a 2-0 lead in the first half, but Aberdeen mounted a spirited comeback, leveling the score and snatching a point. Late-game VAR drama added fuel to the fire, capping off a chaotic afternoon that left fans on edge.

Celtic seemed to have the match in hand after two first-half goals put them firmly in control, but the second half took a dramatic turn. Aberdeen clawed their way back, leveling the score and nearly pulling off an incredible upset when Duk appeared to score a third for the visitors. However, VAR stepped in, disallowing the goal for handball—a pivotal moment that spared Celtic from defeat and kept their unbeaten league run intact.

The final moments of the match were pure chaos. Celtic thought they had a penalty when Luke McCowan was tripped, but VAR confirmed the foul was just outside the box. As tension mounted, James Forrest’s late volley was dramatically cleared off the line by Duk, with Celtic fans screaming for a handball. A VAR check followed, but referee Nick Walsh was not called to review the incident on the monitor. Seconds later, he blew for full time, leaving Celtic fans frustrated and Aberdeen walking away with a hard-earned point.

Former referee Bobby Madden weighed in on the game’s controversial moments, making the surprising statement that “VAR keeps Celtic top of the league,” despite agreeing with the decision to disallow Aberdeen’s potential third goal. Madden commended the officials for their handling of the key incidents. “A correct intervention to disallow Duk’s goal,” Madden wrote. “It was very difficult to spot on the field and exactly why VAR was introduced. Credit to the match officials for making two crucial decisions in the 100th minute: correctly identifying the foul as outside the box, despite wild penalty claims, and rightfully dismissing further shouts for handball on the goal-line clearance.”

The match had it all—goals, controversy, and nail-biting tension. Both Celtic and Aberdeen saw their perfect starts to the season come to an end, but they still widened the gap over Rangers, who suffered a defeat just 24 hours after the dramatic 2-2 draw in Glasgow. Despite the dropped points, Celtic’s grip on the top of the table remains firm, with the added bonus of watching their rivals falter.

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