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The National (Scotland)
The National (Scotland)
Sport
Aidan Smith

Why VAR couldn't intervene during Rangers vs Aberdeen clash for Duk penalty claim

Barry Robson was left baffled at full-time yesterday as he questioned the role of VAR during Rangers vs Aberdeen.

The Pittodrie boss felt his team should have been awarded a penalty or free-kick as Connor Goldson and Duk grappled on the edge of the area.

Robson said: “And then obviously the first half, is it a penalty or a free-kick outside as well? I don’t know.

“It was one or the other. Where was VAR? Anyone see it? Where was it? I don’t know. Was it in the building today? I am being serious.”

Despite Robson calling VAR into question, the video technology could not intervene in the incident because referee John Beaton did not award a free-kick or penalty.

Instead, the whistler waved play on and awarded a corner instead.

If a free-kick had been given and replays showed that the foul continued into the penalty box, then the video technology could have stepped in to allow for Beaton to review his decision.

IFAB rules state: "If a defender starts holding an attacker outside the penalty area and continues holding inside the penalty area, the referee must award a penalty kick."

Robson was also unhappy with his side’s finishing, especially the two chances Luis ‘Duk’ Lopes missed in the first half – a shot saved by McCrorie before he chipped the ball over the bar when again he only had the Gers keeper to beat.

He said: “First half we should have scored a couple of goals. We had two brilliant chances to get a couple of goals up on Rangers.

“You need to take them wherever you are, not just coming here. But it’s probably more important to take them here.

“You have those two unbelievable chances in the first half – they don’t come much better than one-on-one chances.”

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