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Euro 2024: UEFA referees’ chief confirms VAR cleared decision to deny Scotland penalty in Hungary defeat | Football News

On: June 28, 2024 By: admin

VAR did check and clear the decision not to award Scotland a penalty in their
decisive Euro 2024 group game against Hungary, UEFA referees’ chief Roberto
Rosetti has said.

Scotland felt they should have been awarded a spot-kick when Stuart Armstrong was challenged by defender Willi Orban, but their appeals were waved away by Argentinian referee Facundo Tello.

Rosetti said on Friday that the VAR had looked at the incident and decided Armstrong had moved towards the defender and drawn contact.

Hungary went on to win the match 1-0, a result which eliminated Scotland from the tournament.

Scotland head coach Steve Clarke said it was “100 per cent” a penalty and questioned the purpose of VAR “if they are not going to come in for something like that”.

Rosetti was asked about the incident at a referees’ briefing on Friday and said: “This was a very, very tough match with a couple of controversial incidents. There was one in the 68th minute where there was a possible penalty, because John McGinn was pulling the opponent’s shirt.

“Then there was the incident at minute 79. The attacker Armstrong was in front of the Hungarian (Orban). If you watch it from the camera behind, there was movement of the attacker towards the Hungarian.

“The VARs are checking everything, the VAR checked this situation. They decided that this was just a physical contact trying to challenge the defender.”

Rosetti would not be drawn on whether, in his view, the decision was the correct one.

Rosetti did confirm that Tello has been appointed as a fourth official for Saturday’s last-16 match between Switzerland and Italy.

Dean: I’m astounded penalty wasn’t given

Former Premier League referee Mike Dean told Sky Sports News:

“I was a bit surprised if I was being honest, there was a bit of a tangle at the start but it’s a clear foul, a clear knee on the back of the calf.

“I thought the referee was going to give a foul in real time, it just felt like it to everyone watching the game. I was even more surprised the VAR didn’t get involved.

“I think the VAR would have got involved, he’s probably looked at it and the referee’s given some kind of explanation, maybe a tangle of legs or the attacker’s instigated the contact.

“But whatever way you look at it, it’s a clear penalty. They would have looked at it, and the VAR just agreed with the referee – wrongly in my opinion, in everyone’s opinion by the sounds of it.

“Scotland defended well and had chances. If they went 1-0 up, I couldn’t see Hungary scoring a goal with how they defended for the rest of the game.

“It’s just one of those things. I was astounded it wasn’t given. The referee’s probably seen a tangle, but if I was an attacker and I get across a defender and feel contact, you expect a penalty to either be given by the referee, the assistant or by VAR.

“The referees are at that tournament for a reason, they’re the best in Europe or in South America in his case. You’re there to make the big calls, guys have made big calls all competition; this is the first one, apart from Anthony Taylor’s against France on Friday, where we’re talking about the referee and the VAR.”

Scotland 0 – 1 Hungary

On: June 24, 2024 By: admin

Scotland’s hopes of creating history at Euro 2024 were ended by an agonising stoppage-time goal as they lost 1-0 to Hungary.

Steve Clarke’s side knew they had to win in Stuttgart to have a realistic chance of progressing beyond the group stages for the first time.

They failed to even register a shot on target until the second half, but held off any threat from their opponents who also needed three points to keep their hopes alive.

After a horror collision saw Barnabas Varga stretchered off, Scotland were denied a penalty and Grant Hanley passed up a brilliant chance before Kevin Csoboth finished off a Hungary counter attack to fire past Angus Gunn in the 100th minute and end the Tartan Army’s party in Stuttgart.

Home time for Scotland after agonising late defeat

There was just one enforced change for Steve Clarke as Scott McKenna replaced the injured Kieran Tierney in defence, while Barnsley midfielder Callum Styles was one of two changes for Hungary.

Steve Clarke’s side enjoyed plenty of early possession but Gunn was the first goalkeeper called into action as he pushed Bendugez Bolla’s long-range effort clear before pouncing on the loose back before Hungary could take another chance

The Scotland stopper was then quick off his line to collect Dominik Szoboszlai’s free-kick as their opponents looked to make the most of what little possession they had.

They continued to control the match but failed to take advantage of the opportunities coming their way and that saw Hungary grow in confidence, with Willi Orban heading onto the bar from Szoboszlai’s smart free-kick.

Hungary looked the more confident as the second half got underway with Anthony Ralston providing a crucial block to allow Gunn to gather Roldan Sallai’s low effort.

Che Adams led the line again for Scotland and had Scotland’s first shot in the 53rd minute, but it was off target and sailed high over the bar.

Hungary immediately broke and Szoboszlai made the most of Scott McTominay’s poor ball. He drove forward and picked out Sallai, but Jack Hendry was there to block.

The game was opening up. Ralston sent a hopeful ball into the box but Peter Gulacsi was left unchallenged to catch.

Both sides needed a win to extend their stay in Germany and Marton Dardai sent a header over the bar as Hungary continued to threaten.

There was a clash of bodies in Scotland’s box with Gunn punching the ball clear. The keeper and Varga went down, with a sheet pulled around the Hungary player before he was stretchered off the pitch. A VAR check confirmed no penalty for the clash.

Scotland finally won a corner deep into the second half, but it was a terrible delivery by McTominay and the ball was cleared.

They were then screaming for a penalty as substitute Stuart Armstrong was brought down in a clumsy challenge by Orban, but the referee waved play on with no intervention from VAR.

The nerves started to creep in as Gunn was forced into a number of saves and Csoboth saw his shot crash off the far post as they tried to keep their hopes alive.

Ten minutes were added and Scotland tried to create something and Hanley had a brilliant chance of glory but his shot was saved by the Hungarian keeper.

Szoboszlai then went on a late driving run, with Csoboth and Sallai linking up before he fired past Gunn to see Scotland’s hopes end in heartbreak once again.

Stats: Story of the match

Clarke: 100 per cent a penalty

Steve Clarke was left fuming by Argentinean referee Facundo Tello’s decision not to award Scotland a penalty:

“100-per-cent penalty. Somebody somewhere has to explain to me why that’s not a penalty.

“It’s 100 per cent a penalty. We get the penalty, it could be a different night.

“I’ve got other words, but I’m not going to use them.

“European competition, might have been better to have a European referee. We had European VAR and maybe the referee didn’t see the challenge clearly on the pitch.

“What’s the purpose of VAR if they’re not going to come in on something like that?

“It’s a penalty.”

Analysis: Deja Vu for Scotland

Once again the Tartan Army believed and once again they were left in tears as another campaign ended at the group stages.

It was the same story at Euro 2020, the hope after a draw with England only to falter in their third game to exit.

Back-to-back tournaments after so long is to be commended, but Andy Robertson wanted them to leave Germany with no regrets. They are certain to have a few.

Grant Hanley headed onto the post late in the draw with Switzerland, then came so close to a late goal against the Hungarians. What might have been.

There was little attacking threat. Two goals scored in this tournament, only one of them by a Scotland player.

Injuries did play a part, pre-tournament and in camp. but after such a convincing qualifying campaign the fans who brought such joy to the tournament probably deserved a little bit more.

Varga injury overshadows Hungary win

The Hungarian players held Varga’s strip aloft at full-time as they paid tribute to the forward after the horror clash which saw him stretchered off after lengthy treatment.

Shortly after full-time the country’s football federation confirmed the Ferencvaros player was stable.

A statement from the Hungarian Football Federation read: “Barnabas Varga’s condition is stable. The Ferencvaros player is currently in one of the hospitals in Stuttgart. We will inform you immediately if there is any news about his status.”

Hungary head coach Marco Rossi added in his post-match press conference that Varga had suffered a fractured cheekbone and will be operated on, adding he is “not under any risk”.

How Scotland’s Euro 2024 group finished…

Steve Clarke demands explanation as Scotland denied penalty in Hungary defeat which ended Euro 2024 hopes | Football News

On: June 24, 2024 By: admin

Scotland boss Steve Clarke demanded answers why Scotland were denied a “100 per cent” penalty which he felt may have cost them their last-16 qualification at Euro 2024.

Stuart Armstrong appeared to be brought down by defender Willi Orban inside the area with Scotland’s final group game with Hungary goalless but Argentinian referee Facundo Tello declined to give a penalty – a decision Sky Sports’ Kris Boyd said he could not believe.

Clarke sympathised with the official but said VAR’s decision not to intervene after viewing replays of the incident was inexplicable.

“100 per cent penalty,” he said in his press conference. “Somebody somewhere has to explain to me why that’s not a penalty. It’s 100 per cent a penalty.

“It’s a one-goal game, we get the penalty, it could be a different night. I’ve got other words, but I’m not going to use them.

“It’s a European competition, it might have been better to have a European referee. The VAR was European, maybe the referee didn’t see the foul clearly on the pitch, but what’s the point in VAR if they’re not going to come in on something like that. It was a penalty.”

Former Scotland forward Boyd questioned why Tello was not sent to the pitch-side monitor by Spanish VAR Alejandro Hernandez, with Armstrong and his team-mates visibly incensed at the time.

“I’ve seen the penalty again and I cannot believe that hasn’t been given,” Boyd said on Sky Sports News. “It’s a natural football position – you get your arm across to protect the ball.

“The knee goes into the top of Armstrong’s calf. I cannot believe a penalty hasn’t been given. That would have changed everything.

“It’s a penalty all day long. If the referee had been able to go to the monitor, he might have been able to correct his wrong decision.”

Clarke: We need to work out how to score more goals

Despite realistically needing to win the game, Scotland failed to register a single shot on target until the eighth minute of added time in the second half, while three of their four shots in total came beyond the 90th minute.

Clarke refused to be drawn on what exactly had seen Scotland drop out of the European Championship in the group stage for the second tournament in a row, but admitted he would need to sit down with his staff to work out how they will score more goals in future competitions.

He said: “It’s very difficult to sit here and analyse, but sometimes after a defeat like that you need a bit of time just to digest everything and work out how the game went, why it went how it did.

“We didn’t create enough, but we did create enough to score a goal. That’s clear. Is that why we went out of the tournament?

“We scored two goals this tournament, we scored one last time. It’s one for me to go away and talk to my coaches about, about how we can score more goals at certain times in games of course.”

Rossi: We deserved to win

Victorious Hungary manager Marco Rossi said his side were worthy of their first victory of the tournament, one which gives them an outside hope of reaching the last 16 for the second European Championship out of their last three tournaments.

“The Scottish had a bit more ball possession, especially in the first half,” he admitted, but added: “In the second half it was more an up-and-down match, starting from around the 70th minute, almost 30 minutes in which there were situations from one side to the other.

“We can say that it was an equal match. Surely we had more chances, they had more of the ball, but overall I don’t think we didn’t deserve to win. It was deserved.”

On Scotland’s penalty, Rossi declined to offer his sympathies and instead drew comparisons to a foul he felt should have been given against Ilkay Gundogan ahead of Germany’s first goal during Hungary’s 2-0 defeat to the hosts in their previous game.

He said: “In the pre-match I said there was a clear foul on Orban by Gundogan, why do we have to talk now about this moment?

“I didn’t see it well from the bench, but if they didn’t give the penalty in the VAR room, they have seen it was not a penalty. Many pushes from the back in the European Championship are allowed.”