The Verdict: Should Celtic striker Odsonne Edouard have been awarded a penalty against Rangers?

Shortly after Celtic opened the scoring against Rangers yesterday, John Kennedy's team were pressing for an equaliser. 

Diego Laxalt scooped a ball over the top of the Gers defence for Mohamed Elyounoussi, who controlled and backheeled into the path of Odsonne Edouard. 

The Frenchman took a touch away from Ibrox defender Borna Barisic before being brought down under the challenge of the Croatian. 

Referee Willie Collum subsequently booked Edouard for simulation despite huge protests from the Celtic players.

What was said

Interim Parkhead boss John Kennedy said of the penalty claim: “It had a massive say in the game. I’ve seen it back and I’ve spoken to Odsonne.

“If you get any sort of contact in the box, when a player comes flying at you at that speed, comes recklessly in, knocks you off balance, touches you enough to go over – that’s what happened there.

“If he doesn’t go over, he is on the ball, he scores the goal.

“There is no need for him to go down, he is a goal scorer, he wants as many goals as possible. He is not that type of player.

“I haven’t had a chance to speak to the referee. In games like that, these decisions are massive, really important.

“Willie will have his opinion on it, other people might think differently but we are sure it’s a penalty.

“So we feel aggrieved that we didn’t get a penalty kick, we have to accept that and look at the bigger picture of the performance which was good."

Celtic skipper Scott Brown added: “We were exceptional. We could have had three or four and had a penalty denied as well. It’s a stonewaller.

“There’s no reason for Odsonne to go down as he chops inside. There’s contact – we saw it at half-time. It’s one of those ones if you go in 2-0 up at half-time then it totally changes the game.

“They managed to get back in the game but we had enough chances to win it. I thought we were very good today throughout the whole 90 minutes.”

The Rule 

A penalty kick is awarded if a player commits a direct free kick offence inside their penalty area or off the field as part of play as outlined in Laws 12 and 13.

A goal may be scored directly from a penalty kick.

Law 12

A direct free kick is awarded if a player commits any of the following offences against an opponent in a manner considered by the referee to be careless, reckless or using excessive force:

              •            charges

              •            jumps at

              •            kicks or attempts to kick

              •            pushes

              •            strikes or attempts to strike (including head-butt)

              •            tackles or challenges

              •            trips or attempts to trip

If an offence involves contact, it is penalised by a direct free kick.

              •            Careless is when a player shows a lack of attention or consideration when making a challenge or acts without precaution. No disciplinary sanction is needed

              •            Reckless is when a player acts with disregard to the danger to, or consequences for, an opponent and must be cautioned

              •            Using excessive force is when a player exceeds the necessary use of force and/or endangers the safety of an opponent and must be sent off

A direct free kick is awarded if a player commits any of the following offences:

              •            a handball offence (except for the goalkeeper within their penalty area)

              •            holds an opponent

              •            impedes an opponent with contact

              •            bites or spits at someone

              •            throws an object at the ball, an opponent or a match official, or makes contact with the ball with a held object

See also offences in Law 3.

The Verdict

Television replays were pretty inconclusive on this one, but there was one angle from behind the goal that is particularly important. Edouard appears to lift his trailing leg over Barisic before hitting the deck and on slow viewing there appears to be no contact.

Barisic gives the referee a decision to make as his challenge is nowhere near the ball, but ultimately he does not touch the striker. For a foul to be awarded, as the ruling states, Barisic would have to "impede an opponent with contact".

Under Law 12 (Disciplinary Action) Edouard was rightly shown a yellow card by Willie Collum. It states "There are different circumstances when a player must be cautioned for unsporting behaviour including if a player: attempts to deceive the referee, e.g. by feigning injury or pretending to have been fouled (simulation)."