Controversy continues to surround the Premier Sports Cup final between Celtic and Rangers, with widespread criticism over key refereeing decisions during the match.
Rangers manager Philippe Clement expressed frustration after his team was denied a penalty in extra time for a foul on Vaclav Cerny, which was ruled to have occurred outside the box. Replays, however, appear to show Cerny’s foot on the penalty area line, which, under IFAB rules, should have resulted in a penalty. Despite this, VAR was not consulted, and referee John Beaton’s decision to award a free-kick on the edge of the box stood.
Further controversy emerged during the penalty shoot-out. Celtic goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel was twice positioned inside the box before penalties were taken—once during Adam Idah’s successful kick and again as Arne Engels stepped up for his attempt. According to the Laws of the Game, goalkeepers must remain on the goal line and outside the penalty area before a penalty is taken.
While Schmeichel’s positioning during Idah’s penalty did not materially affect the outcome, officials should have warned him. When the same issue occurred during Engels’ penalty, the match officials failed to intervene, and Schmeichel avoided a caution, despite it being a repeat offence. IFAB rules stipulate that a goalkeeper must be warned for a first offence and shown a yellow card for subsequent violations.
The refereeing analysis account Behind The Whistles commented on the situation, stating: “John [Beaton] should have stopped the penalty being taken and booked Kasper [Schmeichel].” They further explained that while Schmeichel’s initial encroachment had no material impact on Idah’s kick, the officials should have addressed his positioning to prevent recurrence. For Engels’ penalty, a yellow card was warranted for repeated infringement.
The incident has sparked widespread debate about the officiating standards and VAR’s role in high-stakesmatches.
