The defender saw red in the top of the table clash at Tynecastle after a VAR check in the 2-2 draw

17:30, 27 Jan 2026Updated 17:36, 27 Jan 2026

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Celtic have lost their appeal to the SFA over the red card shown to Auston Trusty during the draw with Hearts.

At the time of the incident, the Hoops were leading 2-1 against Derek McInnes’ league leaders in Gorgie. Landry Kabore was hauled down by the USA international as he broke in behind the Hoops defence. Referee Steven McLean then showed Trusty a yellow card following the incident.

John Beaton on VAR sent the whistler to review his call at the pitchside monitor – leading to the yellow being upgraded to a red for denying a clear goalscoring opportunity. Claudio Braga then netted late on against 10-man Celtic.

Speaking after the full-time whistle, Parkhead boss Martin O’Neill would insist the player should have been let off due to Liam Scales and Dane Murray offering defensive cover, while the ball Kabore was chasing was travelling away from the Celtic goal. The Hoops then took the first to the SFA by launching a wrongful dismissal appeal against the defender’s controversial sending-off.

But the Hampden chiefs didn’t agree with the protests of the boss and the club, with the red card upheld following the fast-tracked appeal. Following the hearing on Tuesday, an SFA statement read: “Claim Dismissed. Red card for sending off offence A4 – Denying the opposing team or an opponent a goal or an obvious goal scoring opportunity as defined by Law 12, is re-imposed with immediate effect.”

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