🚨KMI Panel’s Ruling on Celtic Penalty vs Rangers Revealed
The controversial late penalty awarded to Celtic F.C. in their dramatic derby clash against Rangers F.C. has now been reviewed by the Scottish Football Association’s Key Match Incident (KMI) panel, with the independent body backing the original decision made by the match officials.
The flashpoint occurred during the closing stages of the heated Old Firm encounter at Ibrox Stadium, where Celtic staged a late comeback to secure a 2–2 draw. With Rangers leading late in the match, a shot inside the penalty area struck the arm of Rangers defender Dujon Sterling, prompting the referee to award a penalty after a VAR review. Reo Hatate eventually converted from the spot after a chaotic sequence to earn Celtic a dramatic equaliser.
The decision sparked immediate debate among players, pundits and supporters, particularly from the Rangers side who felt the handball decision was harsh. However, after reviewing the footage and the referee’s interpretation of the rules, the KMI panel concluded that the officials made the correct call in awarding the penalty.
According to the panel’s assessment, Sterling’s arm was in a position that made his body unnaturally bigger when the ball struck it, satisfying the criteria for a handball offence under the current laws of the game. As a result, the VAR intervention and the subsequent penalty award were deemed justified.
The verdict effectively ends the debate from an officiating perspective, although it is unlikely to quiet the intense rivalry between the two Glasgow giants. Matches between Celtic and Rangers—collectively known as the Old Firm—regularly produce controversy, and this latest decision has added another chapter to the long-standing dispute between the clubs.
Despite the controversy, Celtic will take encouragement from their resilience in the match. After trailing 2–0 earlier in the game, the Hoops fought back strongly in the second half, with Hatate’s late penalty securing a valuable point in the Scottish Premiership title race.
For Rangers, the ruling may offer little comfort, as they had appeared on course for a crucial derby victory before the late drama. The decision will likely continue to be debated among fans, but the official verdict from the KMI panel confirms that the refereeing team applied the laws correctly in one of the most talked-about moments of the season.
