Danny Rohl Cries ‘Lucky’ Penalty as Celtic Silence Ibrox

Danny Rohl was not in the mood to accept the late penalty decision that handed Celtic their route back into the derby. Rangers were seconds away from seeing out a 2-1 win when Daizen Maeda’s close-range header struck Dujon Sterling’s arm inside the box.

Referee John Beaton was sent to the monitor after a VAR check. Replays showed Sterling’s arm away from his body as the ball changed direction. The spot-kick was given deep into stoppage time.

Reo Hatate’s penalty was saved by Jack Butland. So was the rebound. Hatate then forced the ball over the line at the third attempt. Rangers were furious. The Ibrox crowd let their feelings be known.

Rohl pointed to earlier moments in the box and questioned the call, even while admitting it might have been given under the current interpretation.

He said: (Sky Sports), “Finally, I think with both goals we have a lot of players in our box, but we are not really man-marking in these moments.

“The 2-2 is maybe a pen, but of course you are lucky in the momentum at the last minute to get such a situation against you, but it’s football.

“A lot of talk about VAR and VAR interventions, what are your thoughts on the penalty?

“Maybe, maybe not, I think it’s not my part.

“The important thing is that you have a good decision-making every week. Today it was against us, last week it was against us, but this is football.”

Keep putting the ball into dangerous areas and force defenders into mistakes. That is exactly what happened. Forrest delivered, Maeda attacked it, and Sterling’s arm blocked a header that was travelling towards goal. It was not a soft touch in midfield. It was a decisive moment inside the six-yard box.

Rohl can talk about momentum, but momentum is earned. Celtic built it through possession and pressure after the break. Rangers were no longer stepping out to engage. They were retreating and hoping to survive.

When you defend that deep, your arms and legs are flying everywhere. Sooner or later, something connects.

The handball law is clear enough in these situations. If your arm is away from your body and it stops a shot, you are taking a gamble. Sterling lost that gamble. It is not harsh. It is the risk you run when you fail to clear your lines and allow another cross into the box.

Celtic did not get a gift. They forced the decision. The equaliser came because they refused to accept the first save and reacted quicker than anyone else in blue. That is not luck. That is pressure telling in the closing seconds.