World media stunned by Celtic penalty affecting Hearts as Scottish football 'in turmoil' over VAR 'avalanche'

World football is locked into the Premiership title race as Hearts boss Derek McInnes is left raging over a penalty for Celtic.

The Hoops looked set to drop two points to Motherwell, which after the Jambos defeated Falkirk 3-0, would have meant they’d need beat McInnes’ team by three clear goals when the pair meet this Saturday at Parkhead for a final day showdown. VAR official Andrew Dallas called John Beaton to the monitor for a look at a possible handball by Motherwell’s Sam Nicholson deep into second half stoppage time.

He was judged to have handled the ball when jumping for a ball with Celtic’s Auston Trusty and Kelechi Iheanacho sealed a 3-2 Hoops win with the resulting penalty. It means now the defending champions must simply achieve victory on Saturday rather than doing so by a firm margin. It’s sparked Hearts anger and got the globe talking. Here’s how the world’s media reacted to a night of Scottish football carnage.

Voetbal Zone (Netherlands)

“Historic title race in Scotland approaches climax after bizarre escape in minute 99. The potentially historic title race in Scotland is approaching a thrilling conclusion. Hearts and Celtic both won their matches on Wednesday evening, meaning it all comes down to the very last round of fixtures. In that round, league leaders Hearts and second-placed Celtic will face each other.”

Soccer Digest (Japan)

“It was a truly dramatic win. With the score tied 2-2 going into the final stages, in the 90+9th minute, a handball by the opponent resulted in a penalty kick. Kelechi Iheanacho calmly converted it, scoring the priceless winning goal. A draw would have left them three points behind Hearts, with a goal difference of six, making this an incredibly significant victory. A win in the crucial direct confrontation would now secure their fifth consecutive league title. Meanwhile, the last-minute penalty decision has sparked controversy, as it appears the ball hit the Motherwell player in the head, not his hand.”

Yenicag (Turkey)

“Hearts, who came very close to ending the 41-year-long Celtic-Rangers hegemony in Scotland, entered the final week as leaders. However, a penalty goal scored by Celtic in the 90+8th minute against Motherwell, when they were very close to dropping points, completely changed the championship calculations. A breathtaking title race is underway in Scotland . In a league where no team other than Celtic and Rangers has won the title since 1985, Hearts came very close to achieving this historic feat. However, Celtic's last-minute victory has left the title decided in the final week.”

Sportsbladet (Sweden)

“The deciding factor came – in the 98th minute. Celtic were awarded a penalty and forward Kelechi Iheanacho made no mistakes. In a fit of pure joy, jubilant away fans stormed the pitch when the final whistle sounded a moment later.”

Record (Portugal)

“Scottish Premier League in turmoil: controversial penalty in the 90+9 minute keeps Celtic in the race. This Wednesday, in the penultimate round of the championship qualifying phase, the story could have been practically resolved, as Celtic entered stoppage time against Motherwell tied at 2-2. If that result had held, considering that Hearts did their job and beat Falkirk 3-0, Celtic would have had to win by 3 or more goals to become champions in the final round. Then, in the 90'+3 minute, VAR detected a possible penalty. The referee reviewed the images and pointed to the penalty spot. With all the pressure on him, Kelechi Iheanacho didn't falter and scored in the 90'+9 minute to make it 3-2, provoking an explosion of joy among the supporters. Everything was decided by a penalty which, it must be said, doesn't seem to be a consensual decision and even led to some harsh words from Derek McInnes.”

Kicker (Germany)

“Celtic penalty in the last second: Furious finale for the Scottish championship. The Scottish league title race is set to reach a spectacular finale: Celtic Glasgow, trailing by just one point, will host the surprise leaders Heart of Midlothian in a direct clash. However, Celtic needed a late and controversial penalty against Motherwell to secure this outcome. During a throw-in, Motherwell defender Nicholson lunged into an aerial duel with Iheanacho in his own penalty area. In the ensuing scramble, the 31-year-old was struck in the face by his own wrist and was unlucky that the ball bounced directly onto his hand, which was tucked behind his head. VAR called the referee to the monitor, who indeed pointed to the spot – in the eighth minute of what was originally intended to be five minutes of added time.”

Sudinfo (Belgium)

“Gary Lineker and all of Scotland shocked after Celtic's 110th-minute victory, VAR at the heart of a huge controversy. With the score at 2-2, a scoreline that would have required Arne Engels' club to win by three goals in Saturday’s final, the visitors were awarded a penalty in stoppage time following a VAR review. The ball, sent into the box, appeared to have grazed the hand of a Motherwell defender after he had headed the ball away. After several minutes of chaos, the referee finally decided to award a penalty, even though, let's be honest, it's difficult to say whether or not the ball was actually handled. And even if it was, this slight contact had no impact on the game. Meanwhile, the referee awarded the penalty, and many consider this decision to be "the worst in the history of VAR."

Voetbal (Netherlands)

“No scriptwriter could have predicted what is happening in Scotland this year. Heart of Midlothian could smell the Scottish title after 66 years, thanks to a comfortable victory over Falkirk and what looked like a dropped points by Celtic. As a result, Tynecastle Stadium thought the championship was as good as secured, but nothing could be further from the truth. A penalty in the very last second for Celtic means that Saturday's decisive match will determine who can call themselves champion of Scotland.”

Stijena (Croatia)

“The crucial moment came after Sam Nicholson's challenge for a high ball. Footage suggested the ball had hit the Motherwell player's head rather than his hand, but the referee pointed to the white spot after reviewing it. Kelechi Iheanacho took charge and scored to give Celtic the win. The decision immediately caused an avalanche of comments, especially because of the importance of the match and the moment in which it was made.”

Football 360 (Australia)

“A contentious VAR incident has caused outrage and setup a final-day title decider between Scottish Premiership leaders Hearts and defending champions Celtic. From jubilation to dismay. Hearts fans were celebrating the win over Falkirk and Celtic seemingly dropping points away to Motherwell – a result that would have sent the leaders three points clear – before the Edinburgh crowd suddenly fell silent after Celtic were awarded a controversial penalty for an apparent handball following a VAR review. Hearts supporters and players were glued to screens while the referee reviewed the last-gasp incident at Motherwell. Sam Nicholson was adjudged to have handled the ball while trying to head away a clearance. Kelechi Iheanacho converted the 99th-minute penalty, sparking wild celebrations among travelling Celtic fans while Hearts supporters back in Edinburgh looked around in disbelief.”

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