NafisaRangers came away from Saturday’s meeting with Motherwell with another three points, but one of the biggest talking points from the 1-0 victory had little to do with the only goal of the afternoon.
The Gers made an excellent start at Ibrox and were rewarded when Ryan Naderi reacted quickest to a costly mistake from Motherwell goalkeeper Alex Paulsen, tapping into an empty net to put Derek McInnes’ side ahead.
Rangers then had an opportunity to double their advantage before half-time, although the moment has since generated plenty of debate.
Djeidi Gassama raced into the Motherwell box after Dan Neil’s delivery had been floated towards the visitors’ defence, only for Tom Sparrow to bring down the Rangers winger.
Referee Duncan Nicolson immediately pointed to the spot.
With Lawrence Shankland forced off after just six minutes with a suspected hamstring injury, Minsu Kim took responsibility for the penalty.
The Rangers forward, however, could not convert from 12 yards, sending the opportunity away and keeping Motherwell within touching distance.
The decision itself quickly became a talking point, with Motherwell clearly unhappy with the call.
But while there has been plenty of debate surrounding the incident, former PGMOL chief Keith Hackett has offered a verdict that will provide some reassurance to the Rangers camp.
Rangers got ‘correct decision’ despite Motherwell claim
McInnes will undoubtedly have been pleased with the result, although Rangers made the afternoon more difficult than it perhaps needed to be.
Had Kim found the net from the penalty spot, the game could have taken a completely different direction.
Instead, Motherwell remained in contention and Rangers had to manage the second half with only a one-goal cushion.
The penalty decision has also attracted considerable attention online, particularly amid discussion surrounding VAR at Ibrox.
However, Hackett believes there was little ambiguity about the challenge itself.
Speaking exclusively to Ibrox News, the former PGMOL chief backed Nicolson’s decision and insisted the referee had made the right call.
He said: “There can be no complaint here. The referee has made the correct decision to award a penalty kick.”
That verdict is unlikely to completely end the debate, particularly given Motherwell’s own reaction to the incident.
But from Rangers’ perspective, the important point is that an experienced former referee has judged the decision to be correct.
The fact that Kim missed means the penalty ultimately had no direct impact on the scoreline, although Rangers will know they passed up a chance to put the contest beyond doubt much earlier.
What did Motherwell say about Rangers’ penalty?
Rangers have now collected three consecutive victories in the league, giving McInnes another boost as he continues to rebuild confidence around Ibrox.
The manager’s position came under increased scrutiny following the club’s disappointing European exit, meaning a sequence of domestic victories will be particularly welcome.
Against Motherwell, Rangers created enough opportunities to make the result considerably more comfortable.
The penalty was one of those chances, but Kim’s miss ensured the visitors stayed alive in the contest.
Motherwell, unsurprisingly, had their own interpretation of what happened inside the box.
The Steelmen’s official X account took aim at the decision while providing supporters with an update during the match.
Motherwell posted: “Rangers have an incredibly soft-looking penalty. Justice done, as it’s blasted wide of the post.”
The post made their position clear, with the club clearly viewing the decision as a soft one and immediately highlighting Kim’s failure to convert it.
However, regardless of the disagreement surrounding the penalty, the decision did not ultimately determine the outcome.
Rangers were already ahead thanks to Naderi’s opportunistic finish, and despite some nervous moments after the interval, McInnes’ side held on to secure another three points.
There was also an argument that Rangers could have put the game beyond Motherwell had they been more ruthless in front of goal.
Kim’s missed penalty was therefore frustrating, but the overall performance still offered McInnes plenty of encouragement.
The Gers have now built some momentum domestically, and that will be crucial with another huge fixture on the horizon.
For Motherwell, the penalty complaint will remain part of the post-match discussion.
For Rangers, however, Hackett’s verdict provides a strong counterargument to the suggestion that Nicolson made the wrong call.
And with the points safely secured, McInnes will be far more concerned with maintaining Rangers’ winning momentum than revisiting a penalty that ultimately changed very little about the final result.
Nafisa
