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“factual overturn, No need for the referee to go to the monitor, a factual overturn for a penalty to be awarded”- Willie Collum breaks silence on Rangers ‘penalty’ after Liam Scales Celtic foul in Premier Sports Cup Final
Willie Collum has finally spoken out about Liam Scales’ foul on Vaclav Cerny during Celtic’s victory over Rangers in the Premier Sports Cup Final.
The incident occurred in extra time of the 3-3 draw, which Celtic won 5-4 on penalties. Scales was seen pulling on Cerny’s jersey, leading Rangers fans to demand a penalty, believing the foul happened inside the box.
Cerny’s foot was also on the line, which many Rangers supporters believed bolstered their case.
However, the VAR audio from the final has since been released.
The VAR officials initially determined that the foul occurred “close, but just outside the area,” and referee John Beaton awarded a free-kick. Celtic’s Paulo Bernardo rejected the penalty claims, urging his team to move past the controversy.
Now, Collum has revealed that the VAR team made a mistake, and the decision should have been a penalty. He argued that Beaton shouldn’t have needed to review the incident, as it should have been a “factual overturn.”
The VAR team from the final has since been removed from action this week.
In the Scottish FA’s VAR Review show, Collum explained that the holding was the crucial factor in the decision. He stated that while much has been said about Cerny’s foot being on the penalty area line, it was irrelevant.
The key issue was the holding, where the contact occurred. Collum pointed out that the holding began outside the area but continued onto the line, potentially extending into the penalty area. He argued that because the holding involved the line, it should have been considered a penalty kick.
Collum also emphasized that the foul was clearly inside the area, primarily due to Scales’ position rather than Cerny’s. This, he said, made it a “factual overturn.” He added that although the referee correctly judged the foul on the field, the VAR team failed to reach the right conclusion by not overturning the decision.
