Hearts were held to a 1-1 draw with Motherwell at Fir Park, squandering a chance to move six points clear of Celtic in the Scottish Premiership title race.
On Sunday’s Sky Sports broadcast, leaders Celtic will play Rangers in the Old Firm, but they are four points behind.
If Celtic lose to their rivals, Hearts will have the chance to end their 66-year wait for another top-flight title with one game remaining when they play against Falkirk on Wednesday.
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Motherwell took the lead after Stephen Kingsley deflected the ball into their own net.
Lawrence Shankland’s equaliser, which canceled out Stephen Kingsley’s early own goal, could have been the decisive goal, but the score was obscured by controversy as Hearts were denied another chance to complete a second-half comeback.
Referee Stephen MacLean was advised by VAR to look at the monitor after Alexandros Kyziridis went down in the area under a challenge from Tawanda Maswanhise, but continued to stick to his on-field call despite clear contact.
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Chris Boyd said: “Derek McInnes would be absolutely furious if he went to the game and saw the penalty, because it was an obstructionist.” “It’s penalty kicks all day long.”
Sky Sports pundit James McFadden added: “The only thing I can think of – which Stephen McLean doesn’t think is good enough – is that Maswanhise stepped on Kzyridis’ foot. It’s a penalty.”
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Hearts equalized just before the break as Lawrence Shankland scored from close range.
All eyes were on Sunday at Celtic Park as Hearts continued to push for a vital winner and avoided a late scare of Stephen O’Donnell’s goal being canceled out by the hosts as they escaped with just a draw.
Celtic can move within one point of the league leaders with a win against Rangers, but Hearts’ chances of ending their title drought are firmly in their hands with two games remaining.
McInnes: “The referee made the wrong penalty call”
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Hearts manager Derek McInnes has slammed the referee after a penalty was denied after a VAR check during their 1-1 draw with Motherwell at Fir Park.
Hearts manager Derek McInnes told Sky Sports:
“At the time I thought it was a penalty given everyone’s reaction and obviously (VAR) I think Greg Aitken did a good job of calling the referee. He should have called him and it should have been a penalty kick.”
“The referee didn’t have a good game tonight. We all have bad nights, but he was bad the whole time and he made the biggest mistake of many calls. It’s very important that he gets it right.”
“The explanation for me is, yes, there was contact, but there wasn’t enough contact. My player got pushed around like that, but anyone who played the game will tell you that you don’t need that much contact. But if there was contact and he was running at speed when he was fouled, why would Kouziridis go down?”
“It was a penalty, but I’m disappointed it wasn’t given.”
“This is a clear penalty,” Kyziridis says.
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Kris Boyd and James McFadden both thought Hearts should have been awarded a penalty after challenges from Apostolos Stamatlopoulos and Giorgos Kyzyridis.
Hearts winger Alexandros Kyzyridis on Sky Sports:
“I ran towards the ball and felt something in my foot, otherwise I would never have jumped. For me, this is a clear penalty, but the game is over and I can’t change anything, so I need to focus on Wednesday.”
“When he went in front of the monitor I 100 per cent thought he would give a penalty and I was surprised he didn’t. That’s the reality.”
Ask: It was the right decision not to penalize Kouziridis.
Motherwell boss Jens Berthel Askou told Sky Sports:
“The way the season has played out for us, I was honestly shocked he didn’t give a penalty because even the last penalty that decided the game was going against us one after the other.”
“But it was the right decision, because although it is visible and felt that there is contact, it is minimal contact and he (Kiziridis) is clearly exaggerating the situation and trying to get something out of it.”
“It was the right decision and I’m happy that for the first time this season it actually went our way and we got it.”
