CELTIC failed to regain top spot in the league after a 2-0 loss to Hearts at Tynecastle.
The Premiership clash mustered up a drama filled 90 minutes as FOUR VAR checks grabbed the headlines.
The first big call was a penalty awarded to Celtic in the opening 15 minutes when Don Robertson pointed to the spot without the help of VAR – which immediately backed his decision.
Adam Idah failed to convert the spot kick before Yang Hyun-jun was sent off for a high boot.
And that was the second big call of the day as VAR intervened to prompt the referee to upgrade Yang’s yellow card to a red.
VAR was involved again when Tomoki Iwata was penalised for a handball, something that came as a surprise to pundits including Kris Boyd.
The resulting spot kick was converted by Jorge Grant and it was amid the celebrations that Joe Hart was tangled in an altercation with home fans.
As the keeper hurried to get the ball to send up to the halfway line for play to resume, he was taunted by Hearts fans.
The ball was thrown in his direction as he reacted angrily to the support, exchanging words with the fans.
Teammate Cameron Carter-Vickers ran over to Hart before putting his arm around him and ushering him away from the stand.
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Hearts scored a second goal before half time which was ruled offside by VAR in a dramatic first half.
But they struck again in the second half through captain Lawrence Shankland to take all three points.
The loss means Brendan Rodgers’ men remain two points behind league leaders Rangers with nine games remaining.
The Hoops boss called out VAR assistant John Beaton after the full time whistle.
The Irishman claimed that the official was “probably seeing something different to everyone else” with regards to Yang’s high boot and Iwata’s handball.
Speaking after the game, he said: “I never like to comment on the officials, that’s not something I do. But that cost us today the officiating, from on field and from John Beaton on VAR.
“That was really, really poor.”
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Liam Docherty
