What officials told Aberdeen boss Peter Leven about Celtic penalty VAR check

Aberdeen WOULD have had a penalty in extra-time against Celtic if it wasn't for a foul on Alistair Johnston by Junior Hoilett.

As the Dons chased an equaliser in the dying moments of the added 90 minutes, they appealed for a spot kick when Cameron Carter-Vickers caught Hoilett in front of goal. It looked as if Don Robertson had pointed to the spot but it turned out he had in fact awarded a free-kick in the other direction, adjudging the winger to have fouled the Canadian.

After a VAR check, that decision stayed the same but the Dons recovered to find an equaliser anyway. What we didn't know at the time was whether the VAR team would have recommended a spot kick review had there not been that challenge on Johnston.

Interim Pittodrie boss Leven has cleared that up and insists the officials told him it would've been a penalty.

He told BBC Scotland: "I thought it was a penalty and they did say it was a penalty if it wasn't a foul before it, but I've not seen it back."

Asked for his emotions after the thriller, he added: "Proud. I thought the boys gave everything. It's a sickener at the end, obviously penalties are a bit of a lottery.

"Really proud how they fought and went toe-to-toe with Celtic. Yeah, at times we had to suffer in the second half with the low-block.

"But after that we showed a bit of character and we had chances to score more."