Martin O’Neill acknowledged he felt nervous while waiting for VAR to validate Celtic’s winning goal at Pittodrie on Wednesday evening.
Benjamin Nygren believed he had delivered the decisive moment when he slotted home from close range after James Forrest fired a low cross across the six-yard area. The assistant referee kept his flag down, but the review that followed took a while.
Players gathered around the centre circle as officials examined the move. Aberdeen defenders gestured for offside. Celtic players waited patiently. The pause lasted longer than many anticipated.
Eventually the goal was awarded. Nygren’s strike secured Celtic a 2-1 victory and pushed the Hoops above Rangers in the standings after 29 league matches.
The wait was not the only incident that drew O’Neill’s attention. Earlier in the first half the ball struck Aberdeen defender Jack Milne on the arm inside the penalty area after a Celtic move collapsed in front of goal.
The referee allowed play to continue and VAR chose not to step in. From the stands the incident looked clumsy. Milne’s arm was near his body but not firmly tucked against it.
O’Neill believed Celtic had grounds to feel aggrieved.
He said: (The Scotsman), “It took a long time.
“Then the fourth official is telling me they are looking at two pictures. You’re worried but we saw it through.
“I don’t know about you, but I thought we should’ve had a penalty in the first-half.
“His (Jack Milne’s) hand was in an unnatural position, but it was a tough game.”
The lengthy review heightened the tension late in the contest. Aberdeen were still pressing forward and Celtic had not fully taken control of the closing minutes.
When the decision was finally confirmed, the travelling support responded with relief. The players quickly regrouped and concentrated on closing out the game.
The earlier handball situation was different. The ball hit Milne after a Celtic attempt in the area and several players appealed immediately.
Officials usually consider how close an arm is to the body and whether the defender has time to react. In this instance the referees ruled the position natural enough to avoid awarding a penalty.
Celtic moved forward quickly. The contest still required another push after the interval before Nygren’s goal ultimately decided it.
For O’Neill, the evening still produced the result he wanted. The display looked laboured at times, but the points kept Celtic firmly in the title race with nine games remaining.