Nigerian striker, Kelechi Iheanacho, struck a dramatic VAR-awarded penalty deep into stoppage time, nine minutes beyond the 90, to complete a sensational 3–2 comeback win for Celtic at Motherwell and tighten their grip on the William Hill Premiership title race.
The decisive moment came after former Hearts midfielder Sam Nicholson was ruled to have handled the ball while attempting to head it clear.
Referee John Beaton was sent to the pitchside monitor by VAR official Andrew Dallas after the incident, where replays showed the ball striking Nicholson’s raised arm directly in front of his head.
Beaton then pointed to the spot, and Iheanacho kept his composure to convert, sparking wild celebrations from the travelling support.
Motherwell had looked set to derail Celtic’s title charge in dramatic fashion. Elliot Watt had opened the scoring with a fine 22-yard strike in the 17th minute, and the hosts continued to trouble the visitors throughout a tense first half.
Celtic responded before the break when Daizen Maeda levelled after pouncing on a loose ball inside the box.
The game swung again late on. Liam Gordon, another former Hearts player, appeared to have dealt Celtic a blow in the 85th minute when he equalised, briefly shifting momentum in Motherwell’s favour.
But Celtic refused to fold, with Benjamin Nygren earlier producing a superb 25-yard effort to keep them in contention.
Elsewhere, Hearts’ 3–0 win at Tynecastle had initially put them on course to strengthen their position in the title race, while Hibernian’s late winner at Ibrox added further pressure on Motherwell’s European hopes.
With the match seemingly heading for a draw after the allotted stoppage time had expired, VAR intervened once more to set up the decisive penalty.
Iheanacho’s calm finish sealed a remarkable turnaround and ensured Celtic left Fir Park with all three points..
The result sets up a decisive final-day scenario: Celtic will clinch the title if they beat Hearts, bringing the season’s most dramatic race in years to a final, high-stakes conclusion.
