Scott McTominay’s free-kick goal for Scotland against Spain was disallowed after a VAR review for offside. The Scottish FA is seeking clarity regarding the decision-making process. UEFA confirmed that the goal was overturned due to offside.
The Scottish Football Association is asking UEFA for more information about Scott McTominay’s goal that was not counted in the 2-0 defeat against Spain on Thursday.
During the game, the midfielder from Manchester United almost scored a goal for Scotland. But after checking the video, the referee, Serdar Gözübüyük from the Netherlands, decided that it didn’t count.
The goal was initially disallowed for a foul by Jack Hendry on goalkeeper Unai Simon. However, it was later attributed to offside as Scotland defender was deemed to be interfering with play and impacting Simon’s ability to save the shot.
The SFA wants to know more about the decision-making process and the order of events that may have appeared confusing.
McTominay’s goal was disallowed due to an offside call against Hendry by referee Gözübüyük, according to a UEFA source cited by Sky Sports News.
Spain won the Euro 2024 qualifier in Seville 2-0. However, Scotland, who are currently on top of Group A, still have a chance to qualify for next year’s tournament in Germany if Spain avoids losing in Norway on Sunday.
Scotland plays against Georgia and Norway next month in their quest to qualify for the European Championships under coach Steve Clarke.
“At the time, we think it is a goal,” the Clarke said, when asked about the incident. “You know when the referee gets told to look at it, he is probably going to chalk it off. They have made the call, there is no point in me going on about it.
“I think there was a little bit of confusion at the time, whether it was offside or for a foul on the keeper.
“If you take those two together, Jack Hendry was marginally offside and when he steps towards the goalkeeper, they have interpreted that as Jack being involved in the play but I will tell you now there is no way in the world the keeper was saving that, no matter where Jack Hendry was.
Clarke encouraged his players to stay calm despite the controversy surrounding McTominay’s goal being disallowed. McGinn was confused about why it wasn’t counted.
Speaking to Viaplay, vice-captain McGinn said: “He changed it in-game, which was a frustrating thing. It shows it’s not clear and obvious.
“At that moment, Jack makes a decision to step the other side. Is he going to save it? No chance, absolutely no chance.
“At first he says it’s a foul, then he changes it to an offside when he realises it’s not a foul.
“It’s a hammer blow. That qualifies us, that goal. They need to score two. I feel for big Scott [McTominay], but sometimes these things go for you and tonight it was never going to.
“You just move on. It is a VAR decision that goes against you. When we conceded, it makes it more difficult and the second goal puts gloss on for Spain I don’t think they deserve.”
“We can’t be too disappointed. We wanted to qualify tonight and we were capable of it. We don’t want other teams to do it, we want to do it ourselves.
“The big moments went against us. There’s no doubt we can still improve but we put in some shift.
“We knew a point would get us there, and it’s a really tough one to take with a sore blow losing Robbo [Andy Robertson] so early.
“Then thinking we’re ahead, that going against us, we regrouped but they scored the opener – maybe we can defend that better but it’s a tough one to take.
“We competed for long spells, it’s tough to win here but in the circumstances, it was near enough impossible.
“Everyone watching that game from a Scotland point of view, on the pitch, in the stand, in the dugout, it felt like we weren’t going to get a decision.
“50-50 balls, going in for fair challenges and not getting them, it made it extremely difficult against a world-class team to get anything.
“You need a perfect performance to win here, and it was never going to happen.”
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