SFA panel has say on Hearts penalty claim against Rangers as ‘incorrect’ call made prior to key goal

SFA panel has say on Hearts penalty claim against Rangers as ‘incorrect’ call made prior to key goal.

Hearts should have been granted a penalty kick in their 3-1 loss to Rangers at Tynecastle on Sunday, according to the Scottish Football Association’s Key Match Incident panel.

Referee John Beaton appeared unconcerned when Hearts striker James Wilson dropped in the area after a challenge from Rangers defender Clinton Nsiala in the 60th minute of the encounter. Nsiala looked to shove the 17-year-old in the back as they jostled for a high ball, with differing opinions on whether the contact constituted a foul.

Hearts' James Wilson goes down in the box after a challenge by Rangers' Clinton Nsiala but no penalty is awarded. (Photo by Mark Scates / SNS Group)
Hearts’ James Wilson is brought down in the area by Rangers’ Clinton Nsiala, but no penalty is awarded. (Photo credit: Mark Scates/SNS Group) | SNS.

The game was tied at 1-1 at the moment, but Rangers took the lead practically soon after, breaking to the opposite end of the park and scoring 2-1 through Valcav Cerny. VAR elected not to interfere, and no on-field review (OFR) was requested for the penalty incident, which might have resulted in the Rangers goal being ruled out and play being resumed for a Hearts penalty kick. It was a pivotal point in the game, and the KMI panel concluded that the incorrect decision was obtained after evaluating the film. However, not all five members of the panel agreed.

The report stated, “The panel reviewed this decision at length, with the majority (3:2) ruling the on-field decision wrong. The majority (3:2) felt that VAR should have intervened and recommended an OFR for a potential penalty kick.” In total, the KMI panel evaluated six events from Premiership matches played during the weekend of February 15 and 16, with no other incorrect outcomes.

There was unanimous agreement that there was no foul in the build-up to Celtic’s third goal in the 3-0 win over Dundee United, scored by Adam Idah, and referee Ross Hardie’s decision to overturn a penalty awarded to Hibs for a handball against St Mirren defender Killian Phillips during the goalless draw in Paisley following a VAR intervention was also unanimously supported. Replays revealed that the ball impacted the Buddies player in the head. There was also no foul in the build-up to Aberdeen’s initial goal in the 2-1 win against Dundee at Dens Park, and the panel also dismissed a home penalty appeal for a handball against Shayden Morris in the second half.

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