James Forrest won a second-half penalty as Scottish Premiership champions Celtic grabbed a 1-1 Europa League draw with Rennes of France.
Michael Owen has accused Celtic winger James Forrest of diving to win a penalty during their 1-1 Europa League draw with Rennes on Thursday night, speaking on BT Sport (19 September, 10.30pm).
The Hoops left Roazhon Park with a point in controversial circumstances after a second half full of incident in the east of Brittany.
Just after Ryan Christie was denied the most stonewall penalty you will see in the competition this season, referee Jose Maria Sanchez Martinez did point to the spot when Forrest went to ground. But unlike Christie, who was clearly clipped by a Rennes defender, Forrest certainly appeared to make the most of minimal contact.
And Owen, the former Liverpool, Manchester United and England striker, believes the Scotland international was a little fortunate, even if Celtic were due a belated spot-kick.
“Celtic deserved this because they didn’t get the first one. But to me, this isn’t a penalty,” Owen said.
“Forrest has certainly played for it. He sort of drags his leg and just decides to dive a bit.”
Christie himself fired the resulting penalty into the top corner for his tenth of the season with Celtic, who had Vakoun Issouf Bayo sent off late on for a stray arm, holding on to what could be a crucial point in a group also containing Lazio and a Cluj side who won 4-3 at Parkhead as recently as August.
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