“Baffling VAR Blunder: Engels’ Penalty-Kick Mistake Slips Through the Cracks”

Celtic secured a hard-fought 1-0 win over Young Boys in the Champions League at Parkhead last night. The victory was marked by some contentious decisions, but ultimately, Brendan Rodgers’ side emerged victorious

The VAR officials played a crucial role in the match, correctly ruling out three goals by Kyogo Furuhashi. Their sharp eyesight and attention to detail were impressive, and their decisions were spot on.

However, one incident did raise eyebrows. In the 90th minute, Daizen Maeda was involved in a tussle with a defender, which led to a yellow card being upgraded to a straight red. The Japanese winger’s indiscretion will cost him a spot in the final qualifier against Aston Villa.

Maeda’s red card was a result of his petulant behavior, and the VAR officials were quick to flag it up. The incident occurred with just five minutes of stoppage time remaining, and it will be a costly absence for Celtic.

Despite the controversy surrounding Maeda’s red card, the VAR officials were largely impressive. However, one decision did puzzle many – the failure to order a retake after Arne Engels’ penalty kick.

Engels, who had a 100% record from 12 yards, looked horrified as keeper Marvin Keller made a routine save. However, replays clearly showed two Swiss players encroaching inside the box as Engels prepared to strike the ball.

By the letter of the law, this should have constituted a retake of the spot-kick. However, on this occasion, the VAR team failed to spot the intrusion. It was a rare mistake in an otherwise impressive display.

Fortunately for Celtic, the mistake didn’t prove costly. Loris Benito’s deflected goal in the 86th minute sealed the win and ensured Brendan Rodgers’ side qualified for the play-offs.

The win was a crucial one for Celtic, and they will be relieved to have emerged victorious despite the controversy surrounding the VAR decisions. They will now turn their attention to the final qualifier against Aston Villa.