SFA panel finds four major errors involving Rangers, Hearts, Hibs and Aberdeen in bad weekend for referees.
A closer look at red cards, penalties, and offside calls
The Scottish FA panel has reported four serious mistakes in five Scottish Premiership matches after a poor weekend for the officiating department.
The Key Match Incident panel condemned wrong decisions, including Rangers player Mohamed Diomande’s red card in the 3-1 win against Dundee United, which had previously been revoked after the Ibrox club won their appeal against the dismissal earlier this week.
The Ivorian was sent off late on Sunday at Tannadice Park following a confrontation with Kevin Holt, with referee Nick Walsh sticking to his initial conviction despite a VAR review, much to the chagrin of Rangers manager Philippe Clement, who labelled the decision “incredible”.
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The KMI panel, which meets weekly and is made up of five people from Scottish football circles, unanimously agreed that the colour of the card was incorrect.
“The panel unanimously agreed that the on-field decision was incorrect,” the report read. “The panel concluded that VAR was proper to intervene and request a review. The tribunal felt the referee should have overturned his decision and lowered the red card to a warning.”
Hibs’ protests that they were on the wrong end of two inaccurate penalty rulings in their 1-1 draw with Ross County were only partially validated. The KMI panel ruled, 4:1, that the decision to fine Nicky Cadden for a handball in the 26th minute of the encounter at Dingwall was incorrect, but justice was served when Hibs goalkeeper Jordan Smith stopped Jordan White’s penalty kick.
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Another key blunder was allowing Hearts’ first goal to stand in the 3-2 victory against Kilmarnock at Tynecastle. Elton Kabangu put the home team ahead in the sixth minute, despite being offside and interfering with play earlier in the action. The KMI report concluded, “The panel unanimously agreed that the on-field onside decision was incorrect.” The panel stated that VAR should have intervened and the goal should have been disallowed for offside.
Aberdeen’s 3-0 defeat against St Mirren included a missed red card. The KMI panel determined that Saints defender Scott Tanser should have been sent off for a handball that denied the Dons a scoring opportunity in the 59th minute, when the away side was leading 2-0.
The report noted that “the panel discussed this decision at length, with the majority (4:1) deeming the on-field decision incorrect.” The majority (4:1) said VAR should have interfered and suggested an OFR for a red card. One member of the panel stated that they did not believe it was an evident goal-scoring opportunity and that a VAR intervention should not have occurred, but a yellow card should have been issued.”
The KMI panel assessed ten judgments in all, and 40% were determined to be erroneous, with St Johnstone v Motherwell being the only error-free fixture.
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