John Collins slams Tounekti for avoidable foul

John Collins has criticised Sebastian Tounekti for conceding what he described as an unnecessary free-kick that ultimately led to a controversial equaliser for Hibernian F.C. at Easter Road.

Celtic F.C. had been in control of the match, leading 1-0 through Daizen Maeda, before the turning point arrived. Tounekti brought down Owen Elding in a wide area, despite the attacker moving away from goal—a decision Collins felt was completely avoidable.

From the resulting set-piece, Nicky Cadden delivered the ball into the box, and after a second phase involving Viljami Sinisalo, the ball fell kindly for Joe Newell to score. The goal sparked debate due to possible handball in the build-up, but it was allowed to stand.

Collins was blunt in his assessment, arguing the situation stemmed entirely from Tounekti’s poor decision-making, describing the foul as needless and costly. He also acknowledged the quality of the delivery and Hibernian’s reaction to capitalise on the opportunity.

Former Celtic goalkeeper Packie Bonner shared similar views, agreeing that the initial mistake proved decisive in shifting the momentum of the game.

Meanwhile, manager Martin O’Neill took a more measured approach when discussing the handball claims, admitting he had not seen a clear replay and accepting the decision as part of the game.

Although Celtic eventually went on to win, the incident highlighted how a single lapse in judgement can alter the flow of a match, with Tounekti’s foul seen as the key moment that allowed Hibernian back into the contest.