Former England striker and Euro 2024 pundit Alan Shearer expressed his sympathy for eliminated Scotland after they were denied a penalty during their late 1-0 defeat to Hungary.
Scotland came into the game knowing that only a win was likely to be enough to give them a chance of going through to their first-ever knockout stage at a major tournament, and even then only as one of the best third-place sides. A draw to stay third kept that possibility on the table, but still only as a slim chance.
Hungary’s need for three points was, if anything, even more pressing following their defeats to Switzerland and Germany, with anything other than a win over the Scots guaranteed to eliminate them from the tournament.
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Scotland denied ‘clear’ penalty as VAR does not intervene
The contentious incident occurred in the 79th minute with the deadlock still unbroken after Manchester United’s Scott McTominay sent Stuart Armstrong running through into the Hungary box, with Hungarian defender Willi Orban giving chase.
Orban then ran into the back of Armstrong, sending him tumbling to the turf, but Argentinian referee Facundo Tello refused Scotland’s cries for a spot kick and VAR did not intercede to overturn that decision. Hungary eventually won the game in the 100th minute through Kevin Csoboth’s strike at the end of a swift counter-attack.
Former England striker Shearer said: “Clear penalty for me. I think the assistant just to the right of it had a great view of it also. “It’s one of the few occasions where Scotland actually penetrated the defence of Hungary, and I mean…it’s a terrible challenge. He gets caught up, Orban, and takes him out: his right knee onto his left calf, clearly. That for me is a clear, clear penalty."
When BBC presenter Gabby Logan asked in a disbelieving tone ‘why would VAR not look at that?, Shearer replied: “You tell me.”
Scotland Women captain Rachel Corsie said in response to the suggestion it may not meet the threshold for a ‘clear and obvious error’: “It’s a clear penalty. If the referee is choosing not to give that decision as a penalty, he must have not seen it clearly.”
This was Scotland’s fourth outing at a European Championships following their appearances in 1992, 1996 and 2021 – going out in the group stage each time.
Hungary are meanwhile at their fifth Euros having come third in 1964 and fourth in 1972. They were then absent for 44 years but made the round of 16 at Euro 2016 and went out in the group stage of Euro 2020.
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