Scotland were left furious after a 1-0 defeat to Morocco in their second Group C match, with the result completely overshadowed by major refereeing controversy.
The key moment came in the 82nd minute when Scott McTominay drove into the box and appeared to be brought down by Morocco midfielder Neil El Aynaoui. McTominay went to ground immediately, but referee Ilgiz Tantashev waved away strong Scottish appeals. VAR also chose not to intervene.
The decision sparked immediate outrage on and off the pitch, with Scotland players visibly frustrated at the lack of review.
The expert verdict
ITV refereeing analyst Christina Unkel was adamant the officials got it wrong.
“The first thing you are looking for as a VAR is if there is any touch on that ball, and the answer is no. There is a trip coming from behind that does contact his left lower leg. For this, I do think this is a missed incident for VAR to not recommend that for a penalty. This is a very clear penalty.”
Former striker Duncan Ferguson also backed that view, saying: “It was a penalty. There was a big touch, and McTominay goes down.”
However, the decision divided opinion in the studio. Roy Keane was not convinced, insisting: “I don’t think it is a penalty, simple as that. I think he is looking to go down.” Ange Postecoglou agreed with Keane, while Ally McCoist sided with the view that Scotland should have had a spot-kick.
What it means for Scotland
The defeat leaves Scotland in a dangerous position in Group C, with a must-win clash against Brazil now ahead to keep their knockout hopes alive.
A single decision could now define their tournament, with Scotland left to wonder what might have been.
